This library mod introduced some script heavy features into the game.
By itself this mod does nothing, you will need a mod that uses these features, for example my mod CookingWithBeaconsVanillaEdition which uses all features.
The following features are added:

Entities powered by human labor
Such entities operate when the player is standing in front of them. Optionally they use tool durability.

Entities powered by construction robot labor
Such entities are operated by drawing construction robots towards them with fake deconstruction tasks. Then they are drained of their energy.

Tile bonus for entities
Crafting entities can get a bonus (as in beacon effect) based on the tiles that they are placed on.

Research bonus for entities
Crafting entities can get boni (as in beacon effects) by research technologies.

Custom beacons
Beacons can be defined that can have:
custom shapes (spheres, diamond etc.; user specified so you can design whatever form you want)
Filtering of which entities it affects
Specify how the calculation of its effect shall be done
Specify different transmission effects based on the tick count

Concave hull beacons
Out of wall and gate entities, hulls can be created. Then beacons can be defined which affect all entities in that hull.
Also it has the same customizability as the custom beacons.

Forbidden beacon overlap.
You can specify that beacons may not overlap each other. It supports regular, but also custom beacons and concave hull beacons.

A detailed API description for modders can be found at
https://github.com/funjobie/FactorioStuff/blob/master/CookingWithBeaconsLib/data-api-public.md
https://github.com/funjobie/FactorioStuff/blob/master/CookingWithBeaconsLib/control-api-public.md

In general the features are script heavy so there is a higher chance of them breaking in future factorio versions.
However it seems to be stable enough for the moment, i have finished a playthrough using it.
In combination with other script heavy mods there is however a higher chance of it breaking down.

By itself this mod does nothing, you will need a mod that uses these features, for example my mod CookingWithBeaconsVanillaEdition which uses all features.

The mod is not tested in multiplayer yet. Also migrations may be more difficult than normal if you use it, you should be a bit careful. There are functions missing that simplify migrating.