<p>I'm a NJ community college student and I visited the school yesterday - absolutely beautiful. I wondered if its an acceptable practice to study in the libraries despite the fact that I am not a student there. It's just so inspiring!</p>
<p>They may not let you in without a student ID.</p>
<p>During a recent trip to Princeton, I was amazed to find that noone is allowed into the Princeton libraries without a University ID. Relatively speaking, the town is quite safe. I tried to get into Firestone to take a look around and see the Marquand room – but I was stopped by security. (I was on business, too, and had a suit and tie on!).</p>
<p>Conversely, in grimy and crime-ridden New Haven, Yale’s central Sterling Library and the adjacent Bass Library are open to the public. Many people from outside the university use the many beautiful reading and reference rooms to study, rest or write. The Bass library has open computer stations with internet access available to anyone, and I noticed on a recent trip several folks from a nearby homeless shelter using them. Visitors e also allowed to eat in any of the residential college dining halls (for a modest fee, obviously). At Princeton, you cannot get in to any the Eating Clubs without some pre-arranged sponsored. In that sense, Princeton seemed much more “closed off” from the general public, which for some reason I found surprising.</p>
<p>^You can’t really compare the residential college dining halls to the privately-run Eating Clubs. My guess is that the latter have no system for charging visitors for individual meals and hence they must be sponsored by a member. At the university’s eating facilities, visitors can buy a meal (or be swiped in by a student with meal plans who have 10 automatic guest meals).</p>
<p>That’s factually untrue. As a government repository institution Princeton is legally required to admit the public to Firestone library (and others, potentially). However, the requirements are that you’re allowed in during business hours only. </p>
<p>SO, if you want to go into firestone, go into the access office, show your state issued photo ID, and get a daily visitors pass. Just don’t try to use it after 5PM or whatever, or on a weekend.</p>