People who believe public libraries are outdated may want to take a stroll through the Tamaqua Public Library.

While the library faces the constant struggle of doing more with less due to cuts in government funding, it remains busier than ever."For me, it's the struggle of meeting higher usage statistics with less funding," said Eric Zizelmann, a member of the library's board of directors. "Our usage statistics have gone up every year since 2008, but our government funding has been cut at every level with the exception of financial support from the Borough of Tamaqua."Zizelmann said, "In addition to that, we continue to fight this erroneous idea of public libraries as a dated institution. Come in any day to see how we answer the needs of hundreds of Tamaqua citizens on a daily basis."To keep the library going, the organization has set up an Operating Campaign on gofundme.com."As a struggling public library in a small Pennsylvania town, it is our goal to raise money to continue to provide, as well as expand, our services to the community at large. We serve a great portion of the town with regular access to books, electronic resources, computer tutoring, genealogical and research services. We also provide regular programs for all ages that enhance literacy levels, as well as helping to foster a sense of community," the library says on the site."While we get donations of goods and services, we are having difficulty maintaining our operating budget, as well as upgrading resources for our community's use."With the rising level of poverty in our area, as well as the rising number of the geriatric population, it is important to be able to provide necessary skills to these demographics so that we can help boost our town's success and economy, as well as to subtract from the nation's ever-rising learning and fiscal deficit."The library needs to update electronic resources. Patrons need access to reliable software to apply for jobs, as well as become proficient in the electronic world.Zizelmann said the library has the only free public access computers in the area, e-books, test proctoring, newspaper archive searches, and reading programs for every age group in addition to those roles that would be considered traditional for a library, such as books, magazines and newspapers."The school district no longer has a library program, and so we see students here all the time," he said."Senior citizens are in here every day to read the newspapers. Hundreds of books go back and forth from opening to closing. Kids love the reading programs," Zizelmann said."Additionally, teens have their own group activities here, and the adult book club is well populated every month."People without computers use the library to complete job applications or college admission forms."Our role in Tamaqua is bigger and more important than it has ever been before," Zizelmann said.Library director Gayle Heath took it a step further."In order to keep operating, we need funds," Heath said. "We have a shortfall of funds each year, and we used to be able to operate like that because we had interest accruing from our endowment investments, but that's no longer applicable.She added, "We really used up our rainy day funds. We're right now struggling. It's ironic because we're busier than ever before."Heath said the library believed that the gofundme.com site would help raise more money than it has to date, adding that it's a second-party way of supporting the library."If anyone is considering a donation to the library, it's better for them to make a check or cash contribution directly to the Tamaqua Public Library because that way, we get 100 percent of the funding."GoFundMe takes almost 8 percent of the donations.Other ways to help support the library are to shop at Boyer's, Redner's, or Amazon, sell on eBay, and participate in various fundraisers held throughout the year.The library, located at 30 S. Railroad St., Tamaqua, is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, noon to 5 p.m. Friday, and 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday. For more information, contact the library at 570-668-1660, or visit

www.taplpa.info.