Princeton Library sets move to temporary quarters

Library selected for $2.2 million construction grant from state.

By: Jennifer Potash
   The Princeton Public Library will shut its doors after business on Sunday, Nov. 4, and reopen at temporary headquarters about two weeks later, on Nov. 19, at the Princeton Shopping Center.
   Also, the library has been selected to receive $2.16 million in state aid for construction of its new $17.5 million building, but officials are warning not to count on that money yet.
   The Library Board of Trustees on Tuesday approved the dates for the move and reopening at the former site of Bargain Books in the shopping center.
   The library will have extended hours from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 4, Library Director Leslie Burger said.
   Ms. Burger said many library patrons were anxious to know the date of the move.
   Officials also were pleased and appreciative of the more than $2 million in state aid — the second largest award out of 73 public libraries receiving funds.
   "I’m very grateful for the state stepping up the plate," said Harry Levine, president of the library’s Board of Trustees.
   The library applied for the maximum $2.5 million out of $45 million available to libraries for construction and renovation projects. Because of the volume of applications — 73 libraries requested $54 million — applicants received about 80 percent of the requested amount, Ms. Burger said.
   The library is slated to receive $2.16 million. But some libraries have rejected the aid so the awards for the other libraries may increase, she said.
   The Legislature’s Joint Budget Oversight Committee has yet to approve the awards.
   Ms. Burger said the money might take a while to materialize.
   In the state’s 2001 fiscal year budget, $3 million for the library construction debt payment was removed, Ms. Burger said. Unless that item is put back in the budget, she said, the state cannot authorize the sale of the bonds for the library construction.
   "So don’t spend the money yet," she said Tuesday.
   To date, $15.6 million of the $17.5 million library has been raised — excluding the state aid.
   Princeton Borough and Princeton Township, which jointly own the library, contributed $6 million total to the project. The library was charged with raising $11.5 million and has raised $9.5 million. Also, the library received $2.5 million for the library construction and $2.5 million for a library endowment from George and Estelle Sands of Princeton Borough.
   Any money raised beyond the $17.5 million will go toward the library’s permanent endowment, which aims to reduce the amount of money the library relies on from the municipalities, library officials have said.
   With the pending move to the shopping center, the library will kick off the public portion of the Community Cornerstone Capital Campaign, which had previously focused on institutional and foundation gift.
   In light of the Sept. 11 attacks, Mr. Levine said the campaign "will proceed with compassion and in a careful manner."
   The upcoming move to the shopping center has led to some temporary changes in circulation policies to minimize the inconvenience to patrons and library staff.
   All books checked out after today will not be due until Dec. 1, Ms. Burger said. Media items, such as compact discs, video tapes and DVDs, borrowed after Nov. 4 will not be due until Dec. 1. The normal $1 fee for videos and DVDs will apply for the entire length of the rental rather than for each day of rental as is the current practice.
   Also, the trustees agreed to waive all late fees in November to simplify the move. The library is encouraging patrons to return borrowed materials by Nov. 4.
   For patrons who feel compelled to return items during the two weeks the library is closed, book drop-off bins will be located at the library on Witherspoon Street and at Palmer Square, said Ms. Burger.
   Also programs scheduled to take place at the library between Nov. 5 and 19 will be moved to off-site locations such as Micawber Books and Princeton Community Village.
   An easel with a pad of paper has been set up in the lobby for patrons or visitors to write thoughts about the library.
   Demolition of the existing building is slated for January 2002. The new library, to be built on the same site, is expected to open two years later. Plans call for doubling the capacity of the current library to more than 55,000 square feet in a three-story building designed by the West Windsor-based architectural firm, The Hillier Group.