from the archive

Song and poetry are siblings, both undoing our familiarity with language. One of my favorite bands, Sunset Rollercoaster is a Taiwanese indie pop band that writes dreamy songs in English instead of the band members’ native Mandarin. The lead singer Tseng Kuo-Hung explains, “I learned all English from Sesame Street and school stuff, so English for […]

The library strives to celebrate and serve all of our community members. Each month, we work to highlight a distinct segment of our nation’s heritage and history. May, along with being Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, also happens to be Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM). The celebration, first instituted in 2006 through a proclamation […]

A few years ago, I was regularly attending dance fitness classes a couple times a week. Each session I would arrive, change into my dancing sneakers, and let the instructor take the lead as I chasséd and pliéd the hour away. Most often I would leave without giving any thought to what went into planning […]

One of the many pleasures of working in a library is seeing the latest books freshly unpacked from their boxes. I read glowing reviews for the books below and can’t wait to actually read them now that they are here on our shelves. Please check these out or choose your own new fiction or nonfiction […]

I was a classic suburban kid whose formation of arts and culture largely came from the rabbit hole of the Internet, People Magazine and the treasure trove that is the Princeton Public Library. Itching for paintings and drawings, I got to see my favorite artists’ work by perusing through books long before witnessing them in […]

April is here, the sun is shining, the weather is warming and baseball is back. To me, nothing is more synonymous with spring and summer than baseball. To catch a game, we sit outside under the sun, snack on hot dogs and popcorn, enjoy a cold beer or soda and watch a game that has […]

Aside from the book groups that the library hosts for kids, teens and adults, Princeton is a town that has a healthy number of independent book groups. Being part of a book group can be a wonderful way to build community, deepen friendships, and talk about books. If you’ve ever considered starting one of your […]

Life is scary sometimes. On any given day, there are happy moments and sad moments. There are times when you’re angry and times when you’re truly elated. There are plenty of things in life to be anxious about, like going to a new restaurant and trying new foods, a meeting with your boss, or even […]

We’re all aware of the many romantic tropes that play out in the pages of young adult novels. For instance, there’s the misunderstood bad boy who steals the heart of the good girl and might possibly derail the future she has dreamed of her entire life (think Elena Gilbert and Stefan Salvatore from “Vampire Diaries”). […]

Whether the search is for the perfect job, home, car, or partner, the journey to find it will ultimately be lined with landmines because finding the perfect match is an impossible task. What is possible, though, is finding something that is just right for you. Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, and regardless of your relationship […]

It has been about a week since “Spare,”  the tell-all autobiography by Prince Harry, was released. It immediately broke the UK record for the most sales on the first day of publication for a nonfiction title, which can be chalked up to society’s love (or obsession) for the royal family. What makes them so interesting? […]

What I remember most clearly is the sound. It was a tinkly, bright, happy sound. Each time I heard it I would dutifully turn the page of my book and wait for the narrator’s voice to resume reading the story. As a child in the 1990s, I loved checking out the cassette tape/book combination kits […]

Do you ever wonder what your neighbors are reading? The library aims to create a diverse collection of materials across formats for all readers’ interests, yet, typically, there are particular books and items that have a greater universal appeal to a majority of people. As the year comes to a close, the library has compiled […]

As the holidays approach, I look forward to certain changes around town. Holiday décor and lights gradually get added. You hear the bustling of shopping bags and the familiar sounds of holiday music drifting from the storefronts. And my favorite coffee shops are offering their holiday blends and specials. The holidays in Princeton are something […]

Now that Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday are all behind us, the holiday season is in full swing. Lights and decorations are going up all over town and you can hear carols old and new playing from many of the stores. Just as many people unapologetically love Hallmark Christmas movies, I unironically love holiday […]

Each month carries with it certain expectations and feelings. Just thinking about January can make one shiver, imagining the plummeting temperatures and shorter days. The suggestion of May brings feelings of hope, light, and warmth. July, oh July. You are a glittering gem, baked in the middle of the summer, nights filled with starlit skies […]

As a speaker of several languages (some with less fluency than others), I’ve frequently flipped through the library’s youth world language collections. It’s a fun, rich resource to exercise language muscles, connect with cultures and to explore the wide variety in storytelling, visual style and art. Even when the language is unfamiliar, you can appreciate […]

It’s time I made a confession. I, Dana Treichler, librarian and book nerd from Princeton Public Library, did not like “Where the Crawdads Sing,” the popular novel penned by Delia Owens. This book, which has influenced the publication of books of a similar nature, a Reese Witherspoon-backed film and 4.3 out of 5 stars from […]

Being human requires a wealth of fortitude and determination because, as we all know, life has its way with each and every one of us. Optimists, pessimists, young or old, our lives are determined by a variety of factors, with one of the most influential being our health. Alongside our physical wellness, our emotional and […]

National Hispanic Heritage Month (NHHM) begins on Sept. 15 and runs through Oct. 15. This heritage month offers an opportunity to explore the experiences and voices of those who identify as members of the Hispanic and Latinx community. Here at the library, we aim to include such topics in programming and content throughout the year, […]

Traditionally, the onset of September brings to mind the return of school. While teachers and parents scramble to make sure everyone is prepared to hit the books, there can be a feeling of absence and loss to anyone who is either no longer part of that demographic or whose child has departed for college. Fortunately, […]

As the anniversary of the Sept. 11th terrorist attacks nears, I find myself feeling off. Sad, solemn, uneasy, and down are all words that come to mind but just don’t do this feeling justice, a feeling that all Americans know too well and few can put into words. I try not to focus on the […]

Earlier this month I stumbled upon a newspaper article about the exoneration of Elizabeth Johnson, Jr., the only remaining person whose conviction as a witch in the Salem Witch Trials of 1693 was still extant. Even more extraordinary to me than the length of time it took for Johnson’s conviction to be overturned was the […]

With PPL’s Youth and Adult’s Summer Reading programs coming to an end in less than a week, I find myself reminiscing and thinking about how fast this summer went by. Memories of vacations, cook-outs and strolls fill my mind, as do my chosen reads for the Summer Reading program. This summer, participants received a scratch-off […]

The library’s main stairwell evokes a ship-like feeling. In fact, on a few occasions, patrons and staff members have reenacted part of the Titanic scene in which the protagonists, Jack and Rose, stand, arms outstretched, on the bow of the boat. Beautifully designed by Hillier Architecture, the open staircase is unimpeded by sound barriers on […]

Whether you work, live in, or visit Princeton regularly, you may think you know all there is to know about this town – like the best places to eat or grab a cup of coffee, the tourist hotspots and even where Albert Einstein lived while working at The Institute for Advanced Study. But you might […]

On June 28, 1969, police officers in New York City aggressively raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in Greenwich Village. These sorts of discriminatory raids were common in this era. As in other acts of resistance at the time, the Stonewall patrons fought back against the police. The night evolved into a spontaneous uprising […]

June 21 may mark the official start of summer, but June 15 marks the beginning of summer reading fun at the library for all ages. This year’s theme is Oceans of Possibilities. Adults are invited to register and pick up a scratch-off card at the library’s Welcome desk on the first floor or the Information […]

My favorite part of selecting books for the library is hearing about new titles months before they are published. Professional journals such as Library Journal and Publishers Weekly include reviews and information about soon-to-be bestsellers coming out in the next few months. Access to this information is crucial to us having books available for you […]