Today's metro Atlanta libraries are community hubs

If it's been awhile since you've visited your local public library, you'll probably be surprised at all you can do there. Sure, you can still check out books — although now you can also download e-books — but metro Atlanta libraries offer so much more.

"We're more than books — we're a community hub," Dee Driver, marketing and communications manager for Gwinnett County Public Library, said.

Some branches offer such varied services as 3D printing and a spot where patrons can record podcasts and video, complete with editing capabilities and a green screen background.

"We have one woman who does YouTube tutorials on makeup who comes in every week," Driver said. The high school student has been recording her videos at the library for about eight months.

Another library patron has utilized its services to start a business. Driver said he took library-offered courses, including ones about starting a company and using Microsoft in a business. He used the 3D printer to construct a prototype for his product — plastic parts for a prosthetic knee replacement instead of screws, which can break down over time. He sent the prototype to a manufacturer to start his business.

Patrons also can earn their high school diploma online for free. The Gwinnett library offers laptops that can be checked out for the entire duration of the program, and a certificate is presented at a ceremony after the requirements are completed.

Other activities have included a teen film challenge that was a partnership between the Gwinnett County Library and Gwinnett County Public Schools. Students made films, which were evaluated by local celebrities and people in the film industry and then screened at a theater.