Princeton Public Library

This is an amazing public library! I grew up going, and have always loved it, but now with their renovations in recent years it is everything the previous reviewers have said. I have happily spent many hours here working on my laptop, and whenever we are in town my son asks me to take him. He really enjoys the English and Spanish story times, and the children’s collection is terrific. Upshot is I love it, and think the world would be a better place if everyone could have access to a library like this.

My favorite local library! I used to come here often in the summer when I was taking summer classes at Rutgers. When the weather is nice you can sit outside of the library where they have several tables and chairs and study there as well. It can get a bit loud though on the weekends especially if there is some program going on outside in the courtyard.

Awesome public library that has become a second home to many. Lots of comfortable sofa-​chairs in various nooks of the building. Each floor has its own noise level and vibe. Several private study rooms in second and third floors make for useful meeting locations, although it is a bit of a bummer that you can only reserve 30 min at a time. Make sure to call ahead of time if you really need these spaces. Don’t forget to check out the beautiful mosaic on the first floor, as well as the other Easter-​egg art pieces scattered throughout the library.

«I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library,» — a quote by Borges that is written on the side of the building.
Yes — a paradise of a public library that is community-​oriented, friendly, resourceful, and impeccably designed.

A superb example of what a public library can be. I don’t even know where to begin. The café? The fireplaces and comfortable reading chairs? Wonderful programs for all ages? Convenient services like book reserve online and free mail order lending for those who can’t make it to the library in person? The fact that they go out of their way to make community members comfortable during mass power outages? Friendly and helpful staff? All this and more…
The only negative thing about it that they won’t let me live there! It’s a treasure for our town.

Great selection of books –huge travel section! Bright and spacious interior. Friendly staff. The used book store area on the first floor is wonderful! What’s not to love?

One of the best libraries Ive ever been too
–has a café with the breads and pastries from the best bakery in town
–super comfortable chairs
–free parking for local residents
–there is a used book store
–free wifi and huge tables
–all that natural light and windows
–there is a outdoor plaza where you can relax and read
I love it. Wish our local libraries were like that too.

If there’s a nicer, more comfortable public library I haven’t been to it. Staff here are very helpful and people seem to respect your space and solitude.
Also it’s an ideal spot for a quick meeting.

I love this library. Great storytimes, chess club for kids, a whole floor dedicated to kids, a PLAYROOM, a teen area, fun community events, farmers market outside on Thursdays. This is the best library I’ve been to in the United States and I’ve lived all over. Real community feel here too. Love the café inside which serves GREAT food (but watery coffee…). We go here at least twice a week with the kiddos.

Clean and modern library.

This is such a magnificent place. The number of services this place offers (aside from lending books) is just insane:
— a full restaurant on the ground floor with Terra Momo sandwiches, coffee and seating
— a used book store
— a fireplace
— a roof deck (!!!) on the third floor
— free wifi
— private conference rooms on the second and third floors, with floor-​to-​ceiling glass windows
— a large community room on the ground floor for lectures and large meetings
— lots of tables to sit at

The only way that this library could be better is if it were bigger, but it sort of is the perfect size. The Princeton Public Library is (as far as I know) one of the few privately owned public libraries so it is kept in immaculate shape. They have a large variety of books and a great selection of dvds, cds, books on tape, and even ebooks that you can check out (and returns automatically as long as you’re connected to wifi).
The staff are generally pretty helpful.
One of the great things about this library is the outdoor terrace they have on the 3^rd floor. You can sit and read there and keep an eye on your kids across the way through the large glass windows. You can get the coffee from downstairs and smuggle it up too :)
They also have a used book sale section which is usually pretty decent. It’s small but they have probably anywhere between 1000 – 2000 books at any given time. I’ve found several treasures there.
They also have strategically placed return kiosk thingies in Palmer Square which is really convenient as I don’t have to get out of the car to return it. I admit, I am a lazy bum. My name is Sarang and I’m a Bumaholic.
However, the best thing by far, and that’s sad that it’s the best thing by far (for me) is that they validate parking!!! 2 hours free parking in the garage right behind the library. Doesn’t get much better than that. BOOM.

We love the new library very much. A place for everybody to browse through the bookshelves, read a newspaper or look for hidden caches (there is really one to find).

This is the best public library I’ve ever had the privilege to frequent. It’s spacious, the selection is great, there are so many comfy chairs, the staff is friendly, and I feel quite comfortable just hanging out for an hour and reading.

Enjoyable place to stop and read. Has a book store/​café feel — right in the center of town and next to the Witherspoon grill and parking.

From eating at their small café to mooching off their free wifi, I’ve had some pretty nice memories at the Princeton Public Library. Off the bat, the aesthetics of this library is what makes it highly appealing. I mean the architecture is just exquisite, it looks nothing like the New York Public Libraries that I grew up with! Here’s a few key notes:
–Free wifi. Bring your own laptop or use their computers. They have plenty of them on the second floor. (30 min-​120 min guest sessions available-​no ID needed)
–A huge variety of books and tapes
–Surprisingly, it’s usually quiet despite the number of people there
–Clean and sanitary bathrooms on each floor
–Café food is yummy– I always get the croque monsieur and a cookie: P
–Sound proof (or so I assume) meeting rooms are available for public groups, which is pretty nice if you think about it. Makes you more legit
–I’ve never had any trouble with the employees, they all seem friendly and helpful
And the list goes on…
If you’re ever in town, consider visiting the Princeton Library. You might never want to leave

This is soon-​to-​be Unilocal elite, Todd O. reporting live from the Princeton Public Library (yes, that means free wi-​fi from this hot spot). While the sign downstairs clearly states, no food or drink allowed, I’ve smuggled my favorite Halo Pub mocha (and accompanying donut) into the location… shhhhhhh! (not only should you be quiet in the library, but please don’t tell on me… thanks).
This public library looks like an extension of the university, as it truly is an architectural beauty. In the summer, I enjoy doing work on the 3^rd floor outdoor area, as well as right outside of the premises as I steal the wi-​fi signal. The library has multiple tables to do work, is never overcrowded (at least in my experiences), more than adequate lighting, and even has a café downstairs.
Does this place deserve 5-​stars? Yes. So why you ask, is this a 4-​star review? Like the elitist university, this place refuses to allow me to obtain a library card and borrow books/​dvds/​magazines, despite my «Princeton» city residence and zip code. That’s ⁰⁄₂ for me when it comes to applying for Princeton.

I want to like this place, I really do, but having to pay to rent dvd’s per day is NOT a library; it’s a movie store! At $ 1 a day, its basically the same as a Red Box, which they also have outside.
Also, whenever I try to get my parking validated, some of the staff are rude about it, treating me like I’m some sort of criminal.
I agree with other reviewers, that the library is more of a community center, having many programs for kids, teens, ESL people, and lecture series. So many people take advantage of these things, which is great; however, sometimes it can be difficult to find a place to study quietly when it gets crowded and/​or loud and all of the study rooms are taken.
The café is great! When I get hungry, I don’t have to leave the place. And they get a lot of their stuff made fresh from the Witherspoon Bread Company next door. Also, the permanent book store is great and I have seen some great deals on used books.
The overall design of the library is modern, open, and airy, which has its pros and cons. It has a lot of natural light, and with that comes an automatic retractable solar shade that can be slightly annoying when it is always adjusting itself. Also, having an open, tile-​floored staircase enables one to hear every single person going up and down. I have spent much time procrastinating, sitting at the tables watching the retractable shade and listening to people on the staircase.
Overall, I would say that the library is a great place for community and baked-​good-​eating, but a not-​so great place for silent studying/​reading and dvd renting.

This is a really nice, bright, modern library. Set up more like a Border’s or Barnes & Nobles than the traditional heavy, dark, stuffy, 50’s lighting styled versions a lot of us grew up with.
Navigation is a little difficult, but that is true for any library one isn’t used to.
When you walk in, there’s a café to the right. In front of that, the bookdrop and pamphlets listing upcoming events, such as last week’s Environmental Film Festival (movies, lectures, discussions…)
Step in a few more feet and the bookshop (including novelties such as stuffed tigers and mugs) is on the left, the manual checkout desk on the right. There’s also an automated checkout – place your books and card on the screen, and you’re ready to go.
New books are easy to find and browse through, with comfortable chairs.
And the best part? You can browse books online, choose the books, and receive either an email or phone call when your books are ready to be picked up. And they’ll send you an email if what you have checked out is approaching its due date.
There are private, conference rooms upstairs too.

Aside from being just beautiful inside, this library has a lot to offer the community. It’s café and library store are unique additions to what one thinks of as a traditional building. The classes offered for free to the public and area business-​people keep everyone educated and the services are outstanding. I requested that a book be ordered for the collection, and not only was it ordered, but it was automatically put on hold so I could be the first person to borrow the book. The children’s floor is a site to behold and makes me wish I was a child again. There are so many wonderful things to say about this library — I’m just happy I live close enough to take advantage of its services.