About the Library

#ppl

About Us

Mission and Vision

Our mission: Princeton Public Library connects everyone in our dynamic and growing community by advancing knowledge, encouraging dialogue and providing opportunities for discovery and joy.

Our vision: A vital cornerstone of community connection, where curiosity and wonder flourish.

Our Shared Values

Learning and teaching
Equity and inclusion
Clarity and transparency
Kindness and an assumption of good faith
Humility and teamwork
Creativity and collaboration
Optimism and accountability

Library Culture

We exceed the public’s expectations. The exemplary customer service that we provide for our members and guests is what sets us apart from other libraries.
We value diversity, equity and inclusion. The library is stronger when we bring varied perspectives to the work of serving a growing and increasingly diverse community.
We innovate. The library’s staff, boards and stakeholders are bold and creative. We think about new ways to improve our community every day.
We educate and enrich. We curate extraordinary collections and research tools, constantly develop our level of expertise and offer classes, lectures and events that complement these resources and services.
We listen. We want to hear from everyone about how well we are doing in meeting their needs and how we can do better; we analyze evidence and question our assumptions, and we commit ourselves fully to making thoughtful changes.
We collaborate. We are eager to learn and love to lead. We consult with and support colleagues at other libraries and community partners in order to ensure our ability to implement the ideas that best meet the needs of our community.
We steward. The library is a beautiful, welcoming, versatile building and collection, a world class resource that is owned by our community, funded through public-private partnership and entrusted to the management of a dedicated and talented library staff.

#history

History

Incorporated on Dec. 30, 1909, Princeton Public Library opened in 1910 at historic Bainbridge House on Nassau Street in Princeton, with one staff member and a collection of more than 4,000 books. More than a century and three locations later, the library has grown in size and stature and is now considered one of the top public libraries in the nation. This 2007 book by William K. Selden tells the story of that growth.

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