Princeton Public Library

Princeton Public Library began in 1881 and later became a Carnegie Library. Over the years, an addition and renovations were made to the building. As libraries continue to evolve, it was once again time to renovate this library to meet the needs of the community. Princeton Public Library hired Hafer to conduct a master plan to determine a direction for future growth and change.

One of the biggest objectives, creating spaces for the community to engage with one another, was key to the plan. So, the design outlined several areas, both inside and outside, for people to connect with others or to be alone, perhaps relishing a novel. A “living room” created ample space for mingling and opens to an outdoor terrace for patrons to enjoy on pleasant days.

From the master plan, it was determined that renovations were needed to the existing library. The staff work area has been remodeled to allow for better efficiency and the children’s library reconfigured for increased security and additional programming space.

The original Carnegie library will be preserved which faces the opposite direction of the addition. The addition features a more modern aesthetic, seemingly looking towards the future. The two parts blend together seamlessly to create a library that meets the needs of library patrons today.