With the closing of Book Lenders, New Tripoli, Northwestern Lehigh School District was left without a lending library.

After the closure, Allentown Public Library received a grant to enable Northwestern Lehigh residents to join Allentown for three years without charge.

After that, Northwestern residents would need to pay $5 per person from everyone in the four townships to continue with Allentown.

Slatington Librarian Louise Bechtel said her library is just "hanging on by its fingernails."

The library charges $10 per family and welcomes everyone from the Northwestern area to join.

By joining, members also receive an Access Card, good for any library in the state.

In Bechtel's opinion, the state does not seem to care about whether or not small libraries remain open.

The libraries are audited, need to be open so many hours a week and have a certain number of employees.

Bechtel says the library is blessed with assistance from the Trexler Foundation, Horsehead Development Fund, the Mickley-Fravel Foundation, and Dr. Richard Williams Trust, which helps both the Palmerton and Slatington libraries and the high schools, and provides scholarships to both Palmerton and Northern Lehigh students.

The 12-computer lab was donated by Daniel Buglio, a member of the Slatington police force, who works with the Jenny Jones Foundation.

The Trexler Foundation is helping by providing a new catalog system to connect Palmerton, Jim Thorpe and Lehighton libraries with Slatington.

Support is also provided by Rotary, Lions and women's clubs.

"We have a collection of people willing to help," Bechtel said. "They seem to come out of the woodwork when we need someone."

In addition to shelves of books, with an exceptional children's collection, there are VHS movies and some DVDs.

E-magazines and e-books are also available.

The two-DVD set of the Slatington Centennial Celebration is available for purchase at the library. These DVDs were converted from 16 mm film taken by Mummy Studios in 1964. The price is $30

Slatington Library representatives will be at Walnutport Canal Days selling books. Books are offered for sale at all times when the library is open.

Marshall Solkin, who comes in to check out the newest magazines, said Bechtel and Director Rosanne Pugh do a very good job.

"They are very efficient and very pleasant," Solkin said.

Erik Dimmick, who was using a computer, said his friend, Faye, agrees with him that Pugh and Bechtel are pleasant.

Dimmick added Bechtel sounds good, too. She sings in their church choir.

When Northwesterners visit the library they are asked to introduce themselves as coming from that district.

Library hours are from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Mondays and Wednesdays; 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays; and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. The library is closed Thursday and Sundays.

For information, call 610-767-6461.