ZELIENOPLE — The Zelienople Public Library might get bigger.

The library board of trustees and staff are working on plans that may include renovations to the inside of the building, an expansion of the building and new parking spaces.

The board will work with an architect this month to come up with preliminary plans and cost estimates for an expansion to the building that would include a multiuse community and technology center, board President Mike Razanauskas said.

The library at 227 S. High St. has owned an adjacent house since 1996. It rents the house now, but it could decide to tear it down and expand.

The board thinks the space could be used for several needs: additional parking, more computers and a space where groups could meet and hold events.

“Basically, for the past few years we've had the decision if we want to be landlords for a property and retain the income or use the space for more parking for the library and look at an expansion of the library,” Razanauskas said.

The board still is in the early stages of considering a project, but an architect has told them there is a definite need for a community meeting space.

Another step would be to consider what grants could support the project or how else it could be funded, he said.

Razanauskas said he talked with residents at the library's recent Book the Night fundraiser about the idea of an expansion.

“The general buzz was that they're very excited of the prospect of bringing the library into the now,” he said.

As they work on plans, the library staff put out a request to the community for feedback. In a message on its website, it asks for patrons to e-mail zelienople@bcfls.org this month with what they like about the library, what they think the library needs and how can it best serve the community.

The feedback from the community has been largely positive so far, said Jan Lawrence, library director.

Other projects officials are considering include renovating the circulation area and turning a reading room into a teen area. The teen area would include tables and chairs, laptops and a flat-screen TV.

The library staff has heard there is a need in the community for more safe places that teenagers can go, Lawrence said.

In 1998, the library did a similar renovation when it turned an office area into a children's room that has been well used, she said.

The library also recently applied for a grant from the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund.

It requested $36,000 to replace its light fixtures with new LED lights. The building has outdated incandescent and fluorescent fixtures.

It gets monthly electric bills of about $1,000. After having an energy audit done, it learned the new lights would reduce those power bills by about 50 percent, Lawrence said.

The grant would require a 30 percent match from the library, which it would potentially cover with fundraisers, she said.

The library has been on South High Street since 1975 and serves Zelienople and Harmony boroughs, and Jackson and Lancaster townships. It has a patron-base of about 7,500 people.

Lawrence, who has been at the library for 24 years, said it still has plenty of patrons who come for books, but interest has grown in computers, e-books and other new services.

It has six computer stations with Internet, which frequently are in use.

“We could use more, but we're out of space to put them,” she said.