The New Jersey Library Association (NJLA) has named Part-Time Lecturer Leslie Burger the 2017 Librarian of the Year. This award recognizes exemplary achievement within a New Jersey library. In order to be considered for the award, the recipient must have made a significant contribution by advancing community relations and enhancing the image of libraries.

As the previous Executive Director of the Princeton Public Library, Burger made the library the busiest in the state. Locals refer to it as “the community living room.”

Burger has dedicated her career to transforming libraries. It has led her to design her own course within the SC&I Master of Information (MI) program called Transformative Library Leadership. According to the course description, it aims to help students “formulate a library leadership philosophy and development plan.”

Now retired from the Princeton Public Library, Burger spends her time outside of Rutgers at her firm, Library Development Solutions. Over the course of her career, Burger has assisted more than 150 libraries with design and strategy, funding and community support.