Computers were, once again, the main topic of discussion for the Coplay Library Board.

At last month's meeting, the board approved a $1,200 expenditure for two new computers to replace two that are failing. The computers in question are the ones open to use by library patrons.

Early in the Aug. 14 meeting, board member Mel Procanyn asked library Director Sharon Dougherty if she performed certain maintenance tasks on the existing two computers.

"I don't have any training in any of that stuff," Doughterty said, adding that staff at the Whitehall Township Public Library are assisting Coplay with computer issues.

"In her defense, we also have to train people to know what to do," said board President Janet Eisenhauer.

The library plans to purchase a year's worth of support with the computers and use that support to learn how to maintain them.

"Before someone else was doing it," Eisenhauer said. "We just need to document it and train whomever."

Procanyn also said the library does not need to install a lot of software on the computers for patron use, saying the most important program to install is Word.

In previous years, he said, "Everyone wanted every imaginable software program on there which is not being used.

"All these people are using [the computer] for is Google or if they want to type a resume," he said. "It's very simple."

Eisenhauer said the library should check out what kinds of sotfware are installed on the computers Whitehall has for patron use.

Board member Karen Shields said it would be problematic for the two new computers to have less software than the two existing ones because you can't predict what someone will want to do on a computer when he or she comes to the library. It's likely that someone will want to do a more complicated task when the computers with more software are unavailable.

"I'm playing devil's advocate only because I've seen it happen often," Shields said.

"I agree," said Eisenhauer. "You need to have the same on all of them."

Eisenhauer said she and Doughterty will be going shopping for the computers this week.

"We really do want everything set up before school," she said.

Eisenhauer also said the borough agreed to pay for the computers taking money earmarked in the budget for library maintenance.