Big changes are continuing at the Tamaqua Public Library.

Not only has its teen room received a revamp, the library added video, board and yard games to its collection. A gaming system is next, and there are plans to redo the lobby area and to continue its programs for ages 0-19.

“We are recreating our spaces just to make them more conducive to fun and enjoyment,” said library coordinator Melissa Hess. “We want to make this a place that you want to come in. It’s a cool space - when it’s 95 degrees out outside or when it’s pouring down rain, come in here and hang out.”

The library on 30 S. Railroad St. is seeing more use than ever - so much so that it is keeping its regular hours, instead of reducing them, for the summer.

The most noticeable change is the library’s teen room. The area has a new sofa for relaxing, a colorful rug and a table where students can study, talk or have a snack.

“It was a summer project for our teen group,” which visits the library frequently for teen-led programs, Hess said.

The library posted some must-haves for the room on its Amazon wish list - and received them.

“We are so blessed and grateful by the amount of support we have received from the community,” Hess said.

To change the look of the space, teens used the library’s Cricut - a computer controlled cutting machine available for any patrons to use - to design intricate leaf shapes and butterflies on vinyl. They cut the forms and arranged them on a wall. They also designed a book and plan to add quotes from their favorite authors to the wall.

The result is a “cool” space, Hess said.

“Getting the teens to come here is challenging. They are usually busy with activities,” Hess said. “So we are making this a space that they really want to hang out in. The teens have some other ideas; they want to put some fairy lights in here and they added some greenery.”

The library received a flat screen television from a generous donor. They’ll soon have an X-Box gaming system, and both will be located in a corner of the library.

Board games like Scrabble, Risk and Candy Land were recently added and can be “rented” and played while visiting the library. So, too, can outdoor games such as Connect 4 and Cornhole.

“You can go outside on our grassy area, take the games with you and play,” Hess said.

Games for X-Box, PS-4 and Switch were added and can be taken home as rentals by patrons. The high-tech adds follow the purchase of three - soon to be four - Oculus virtual reality headsets available to library users.

“Our hope is that kids, especially middle school age have somewhere to go after school. They can come down here, hang out with their friends, use our headsets because they might be something they don’t have access to at home,” Hess said.

She noted that a few weeks ago, members of the Tamaqua Blue Raiders football team helped library workers move heavy shelves.

“There was mention of maybe a Maddon tournament,” she said, referring to video gaming. “One of them commented, ‘I thought you only had books.’ Most do. But we are just trying some different stuff and trying to get kids in here. If they end up reading a book? That’s a bonus.”

The library continues to keep its shelves filled with books and offer programming for all age groups. A large selection of toys are available for youngsters. For the older set, folks might enjoy designing their own T-shirts - or personalize special mugs with the library’s Cricut mug press. Computers continue to be available, too.

Some days, Hess said upward of 60 people visit.

“We did not reduce our hours for the summer because we just have so many people coming into the library. We couldn’t. It wasn’t going to work because people come in here constantly,” Hess said.

And after COVID, she said, the library decided it wasn’t going to be extremely quiet. Visitors are greeted by staffers when they enter, and talking above a whisper is fine.

“We found that after COVID, people were having a hard time reacclimating into the public. We wanted to make it a space that was welcoming and people felt comfortable,” Hess said. “We’re not stuffy. We’re not ‘hush-hush.’”

The library also plans to stay involved with community events, such as the upcoming Tamaqua Railfest, Heritage Day and Spirit of Christmas Festival.

For more information, visit the library’s Facebook page or https://taplpa.info.