Local leaders and Schlow Centre Region Library donors came together Friday to recognize each other for their efforts during the planning and completion of the facility.

Daniel Hawbaker, Schlow Centre Region Library Board of Trustees president, was honored for his leadership and hard work. In addition to having the new building, 211 S. Allen St., dedicated in his honor, he was presented with a plaque recognizing his service. Hawbaker, a 13-year board member, served as chair of the library's capital campaign.

During Friday's dedication ceremony, Sen. Jake Corman, R-Centre, acknowledged Hawbaker's persistence in getting funds for the library.

Corman said Hawbaker was right for the job as capital campaign chair because he was "revered, had the ability to ask for money and was a real pain in the neck."

The new library, which remains at its original location, cost more than $10 million to build, Library Director Betsy Allen said.

She said that local, state and federal grants helped make the project possible. Private donations from more than 800 people totaled about $3 million. By including a Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA) office in the building plans, the library also secured federal transit funds. There are also plans for an indoor area where people can wait for the CATA bus.

Allen said the library has already seen a huge increase in use. A record 8,000 books were checked out on the first day the new library opened. About 1,100 new cards were given out last month, compared with the usual 300, and library use in October was 40 percent higher than it was a year ago. "The new library building is more than two times as big as the previous one and has parking, something we never had before," she said.

State Rep. Lynn Herman, R-Centre, said the library would be an important resource to the area.

"This library will help State College stay viable for many years and is a centerpiece of the future of State College," Herman said.

The library will hold an open house Jan. 14, which will showcase the facility. The two-story library has numerous quiet study areas and a large meeting room. It also has increased seating available, including window seats that overlook Beaver Avenue, a special business section, computers with job search programs and an electronic self-checkout option.

"We built a library that is state of the art, with all the technology we could dream of," Hawbaker said.