As someone who has spent more than a little time in libraries both here and back home, I can’t express how important libraries are. Oftentimes, we reduce our campus libraries to simple study spots, places we can go when we really just need to lock in. But, this is reductive. Libraries are connection points, providing the opportunity to connect and reconnect with friends and peers in the most serendipitous of ways. Additionally, our libraries are invitations to discovery. Each building stands as a testament to the physical accumulation of centuries of knowledge. From the official writings of American presidents to enzyme analyses of gene editing technology, Princeton’s libraries are practically bursting with knowledge to be uncovered.
When I talk to friends about studying at Princeton, one thing I always find myself circling back to is the beauty of our campus and community. This goes beyond the aesthetics of the buildings, but relates to the experiences that Princeton students can all share in. Our campus is one of connection and discovery, and I believe that there is no aspect that makes this as clear as our libraries. The Princeton University Library system claims the 9th largest collection of titles of any University in the country, so it’s no surprise that our campus is dotted with libraries. Of these numerous libraries though, many get overlooked. These overlooked libraries all represent unique opportunities that deserve to be noticed.
While everyone (hopefully) knows about Firestone Library, it is not the only interesting library on campus. For instance, the majority of the residential colleges boast a library to their name. In particular I want to highlight the Norman Thomas 1905 Library at Forbes College. While it is smaller than most of the other residential college libraries, Norman Thomas makes up for it in sheer practicality. Located perhaps as far from Firestone library as an undergraduate student could be, it brings the benefits of connection and discovery to a part of campus that can often feel isolated. Its unique location can make it easy to overlook, but after one visit it becomes clear that Forbes College’s library is nothing short of a hidden gem on campus.
Still, one of the community’s most important libraries isn’t even directly on campus. Princeton Public Library stands as a testament to ideas of connection and discovery in different ways. As New Jersey’s most visited municipal library, Princeton Public Library provides an opportunity for connecting with the broader Princeton community through its events. Some of these are sponsored in partnerships with campus groups like Whig-Clio, others are independent projects of the public library. Princeton Public Library also opens the door to new and engaging works of fiction that aren’t always available from campus’s more research focused collections.
If you are looking for a way to engage specifically with the student community though, the best place to do that is Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library. Home to the physical copies of the Princeton senior theses, the Manuscript Library is an incredible window into the lives of Princetonians from years past and their most pressing questions. Here, you can discover how students have confronted those questions and maybe find new sources of information for your own work. While Seeley G. Mudd is often overlooked on campus, it is certainly worth the visit.
These 3 libraries barely scratch the surface of what the libraries of Princeton have to offer. From Wright Library at Princeton Theological Seminary to Stokes Library in Wallace Hall, there are plenty of places to explore. The only question is when to dive in.
— Stanley Stoutamire Jr., Social Sciences Correspondent
