University to give donation to local library

On Monday, President Shapiro will be giving away money instead of collecting it. He will present the Princeton Public Library with a donation of $300,000 to fund its new building.

The library — which is planning to erect the structure on its current site at the corner of Wiggins St. and Witherspoon St. — has been working for the last two years to raise $11.5 million to finance the project.

The library has raised about $2 million so far, and Princeton's donation is the largest private gift the library has received, according to Tim Quinn, the library's community information specialist.

"It's a very nice gown-to-town gesture to continue our capital campaign," Quinn said.

On Monday, the library will hold a short press conference, and Shapiro will speak and present a University check for the pledge drive. Library trustees, donors and members of the community will be present at the celebration, Princeton Public Library director Leslie Burger said.

"[The press conference] will be on the first level of the library, and open to everyone," Burger said. "It's a community gift for a community library."

According to Burger, the University is donating more than it had originally planned.

"We had asked for $250,000 two years ago in the first stages of our campaign," Burger said. "Then I called [Vice President for Public Affairs Robert Durkee '69] and asked him to increase the pledge, and he agreed."

University Director of Community and State Affairs Pam Hersh said Shapiro will likely talk about the library's importance to the town in his speech.

"A public library is a valuable resource in the community, and we appreciate that," Hersh said.

Hersh pointed to the large number of students who volunteer at the library and the more than 2,300 University-affiliated card-holders as indicative of the library's significance.

"On a general basis, the University is committed to the quality of life in the community," Hersh said. "And [the donation] is a manifestation of that."