Original Library
On August 14, 1948 (the anniversary of VJ Day), the library officially opened, and it has been in continuous operation ever since, serving the people of the area as a memorial to the men who died for their country.
The original library was located at 188 South Third Street, the old Seaboldt homestead, which was
purchased by the Lehighton Lions Club for the library. The Library Association was formed, support was garnered from the school board, and the first funds (used to purchase books) were raised by collections in local theaters.
Present Location
Within fifteen years, the original site was literally “bursting at the seams,” and plans were made to build a new library on donated land. The new library was completed and opened in June 1966 during the town’s Centennial Celebration. Books were moved by a human chain stretching from the old library site to its present location on North Street.
The library you enjoy today is the result of dedication, hard work, and donation.
2020 Addition
Located in the heart of a revitalized downtown, the library serves an area of over 17,000 people. Computer use, program attendance, and the number of daily visits have been growing steadily. We present story times, STEAM programs, summer reading events, crafting programs, author visits, and more. We also provide one-on-one help with job applications, ancestry searches, retrieving online documents, and many other technological needs. All of this was achieved in a 2,300 square foot building with one public room.
In 2018 the library was awarded a matching grant from the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund through the Office of Commonwealth Libraries for construction of an addition to the Library building at 124 North St. Matching funds were obtained through grants, donations from community groups, bequests, and gifts from local families. Ground was broken on the addition in January 2020 and construction was completed in November 2020. The 1400 square foot addition houses a Youth Services Area, a Community Room, and two ADA compliant restrooms. The front entrance was redesigned and is ADA compliant as well.
