Designed in concert with the diverse community it serves, the 58,000 gross square foot Princeton Public Library has become the community’s living room. Thank you to the thousands of people who helped to turn the dream of a new library into a glittering reality and to a patient and generous community that loves its library and shows it everyday.

At three stories, the Princeton Public Library is monumental in scale and at the same time openly welcoming. A large glass “porch” and playful glass staircase create a lively “see and be seen” theatricality along the main Princeton street, while quiet spaces and reading nooks are secluded throughout the building. Materials are attractively “merchandised” through custom displays, lighting and graphics forming interior landscapes that invite browsing and inspire exploration for every level of user. Children are give “pride of place” on the third floor, including a tower room, story center and their own special outdoor terrace.

Sprinkled throughout the all wi-fi building’s public spaces – including a large community room, café, working fireplaces, technology center and a variety of meeting and lounging spaces – is breathtaking artwork commissioned especially for the building by world-class artists mostly from New Jersey.

The new library was designed by Nicholas Garrison, a principal with Hillier Architecture.