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Princeton Public Library director outlines services, growth and school partnerships
Summary
Laura Buchanan, director of the Princeton Public Library, told the Mercer County Board of Education the library recorded roughly 34,000 active members, increased accounts and program activity over the past year and offers educator accounts, free student printing and a STEM lab that the district can use.
Laura Buchanan, director of the Princeton Public Library, told the Mercer County Board of Education on May 11 that the library is an active partner for schools and families and described the library’s programs and resources for students and teachers.
Buchanan said the library had “just a little over 34,000 active members” through January 2026, with 22,583 registered in Princeton and about 9,000 from other parts of Mercer County. She said the library opened 748 new accounts in the past year, hosted 292 programs and interacted with almost 8,000 people through those events and outreach efforts.
The director outlined services that support classroom work: free printing and color printing for students when staff know a printout is for a school project; educator accounts that extend check‑out periods for classroom use; classroom visits and curriculum support; and the ability to order books requested by teachers at no cost to schools. Buchanan said the collection contains about 55,000 physical items and that the library also offers ebooks, audiobooks and periodical subscriptions.
Buchanan described a STEM lab at the library that includes virtual‑reality headsets, four 3‑D printers and beginner robotics and programming classes, and she said the library makes space and materials available for student group work and projects. She also noted the library’s support for summer reading programs and its practice of coordinating extended loan periods to match school project deadlines.
Board members thanked Buchanan and said the information would help district staff and teachers better connect classroom needs to library resources. The presentation concluded with an invitation to district staff to share summer reading lists and material requests so library staff can ensure availability and, when necessary, bring books directly to classrooms.
