Elaine Wickersham remembers taking her children to the Schlow Centre Region Library when it was known as the State College Community Library and located in a house on College Avenue.

That library, formed in 1957, has gone through four name changes and one locale change to become the Schlow Centre Region Library on South Allen Street, Library Director Elizabeth Allen said.

While snow fell outside, adults and children gathered Saturday to celebrate the library's grand opening.

The new 35,000 square-feet facility is just one of the many changes to the town Wickersham said she has noticed during the 42 years she has lived in State College.

"The new library is bright and vibrant, and I am truly impressed with the children's library and its atmosphere and energy," she said.

The new facility allows more room for expansion because it is substantially larger than the old building, which had 15,000 square feet of space. There is now a place for people to sit and work, Allen said. The new facility also features significant parking improvements, including a parking lot beneath the building, which is free for patrons of the library, she added.

Katie O'Toole, a Friends of Schlow member who volunteered for the day, said there was a great crowd at the opening, despite the weather.

"I have seen so many smiles," she said.

The children's section -- full of balloons, books and kids on Saturday -- features a new play area and children's computer lab, where Tricia Merritt of State College played computer games with her son.

"The library is part of our weekend every weekend," she said.

Becky Wittrig of Port Matilda took advantage of the couches near the windows to read with her seven-year-old son -- a fervent reader who read the The Hobbit in a week.

"We love the children's area. The library is just wonderful," Wittrig said.

Children's librarian Anita Ditz said that ever since the library reopened, business has doubled. "We've had constrained space before, and now we have space for kids and their families," she said.

Every child received a free book to remember the event, which involved a magic show, reading times and performances by local musicians, she added.

Trevor Clark of Houserville said his four children all enjoyed the treasure hunt, which showed all the aspects of the library. Clark also took advantage of the adult library upstairs, where he found needed tax forms, he added.

The adult library, though busy, was a quieter atmosphere than the children's section downstairs, as people used the adult computer lab and study cubicles.

Kristina Yezdimer, a librarian assistant, said that the adult section sees all different types of people from students to retired residents to families.

New features include a listening section, which allows patrons to listen to CDs and tapes, and a business resource station with information for small businesses.

"The library is beautifully new, and I hope that, as a community, we keep it that way," Wickersham said.