Under Susan Roth’s supervision, the number of programs has soared
By: Marjorie Censer
It’s tough for any library to find the right level of programming, but Susan Roth, who serves as reader services and programming coordinator, thinks the Princeton Public Library may be at capacity.
"We’ve reached a point where we can say, ‘Let’s look at what we’re doing,’" Ms. Roth said, noting that the library hosts programs virtually every day.
Under Ms. Roth’s supervision, the number of programs at the library has soared, and the community has come to expect free and interesting discussions and presentations on a daily basis.
Ms. Roth is now planning to retire in September to be a full-time grandmother but says there is still work to be done.
When she came to the library in 1988, Ms. Roth was a part-time reference librarian. After earning her degree in library science from Rutgers University, she served as children’s services coordinator and later director of the Highland Park Public Library but left to pursue a master in fine arts degree in creative writing. Working as a reference librarian at the Princeton library let her move away from budgeting and back into working with library patrons.
Her responsibilities at the Princeton Public Library gradually expanded. By the early 1990s, she was a full-time employee, splitting her time between reference and children’s services. When Leslie Burger became library director in 1999, she asked Ms. Roth to focus on improving adult programming.
Though the library already had offerings for adults in place, including the long-running Readings over Coffee discussions and the Writers Talking series, Ms. Roth made it her goal to diversify the events and attract new library patrons.
She said she also sought to work with Princeton University faculty and students and connect with the national library community through the American Library Association. Her first program funded by an ALA grant was called Poets in Person and featured writer James Richardson, a member of the university faculty.
Now, the library regularly features film series, technology talks, Spanish-speaking programs, McCarter Theatre-related presentations and a variety of book discussions.
"Success breeds success," Ms. Roth explained. "The more you do, the more people expect and the more you do."
She said the Princeton community has welcomed the programs and has come to expect a full slate of interesting presentations.
"It’s a challenging community," she said. "They’re very aware of the potential and the possibilities."
And though the library may need to rein in some of its programming, there are many opportunities for improvement, Ms. Roth said.
"There’s room for even more diversity in the programming," she said, adding that she’d like to see more deliberative forums in which attendees can discuss current events, such as global warming or medical insurance. "There is a place, particularly in the library, for bringing people together to discuss these issues."
She said she would also like to see the non-English language programming continue to expand.
"The world is here," she said. "We are comprised of many different populations."
After she retires, Ms. Roth plans to spend time with her grandson in Queens, N.Y., as her son and daughter-in-law have asked her to help baby-sit.
But she plans to keep in touch. Working for the library has been "a great adventure," she said, and she has enjoyed the surprises of programming.
It’s about "making the library come alive," she said. "Sometimes, you never know what’s going to happen."