Public library to change legal status

The Princeton Public Library was chartered in 1961 as a joint library. According to the Library’s executive director Leslie Burger, in response to consolidation the Library Board of Trustees considered becoming a private library — also known as an association library — and as a result would not be directly affiliated with the municipality.

However, Burger noted that there were “extenuating reasons why we couldn’t do an association library,” including complications with employees’ retirement and health care benefits.

Township Mayor and member of the Princeton Public Library Board of Trustees Chad Goerner predicted this decision in a past consolidation meeting, noting that the library probably would not become autonomous. Currently, the two Princeton municipalities provide more than 80 percent of the library’s budget.

Library lawyers will be involved with the transition, which Burger said is mostly paperwork. Goerner, who was out of town on a business trip and could not attend the board meeting to vote, said he supports the decision not to become an association library.

“I believe that the trustees explored both options and felt that at this point in time it was appropriate to move forward as a public, municipal library,” Goerner said. “Whether it remains as a public library or, in the future, explores other options as its fundraising and endowment grow, I will be supportive of their efforts in touching the lives of many of our residents.”

The Library will maintain a nine-member Board of Trustees, which currently includes both the Township and the Borough mayor. The eighth position will go to the future mayor of Princeton, and the ninth will be filled by a community member nominated by the mayor, Burger said.