By Anne Levin
Jennifer Podolsky, the executive director of the Princeton Public Library (PPL) since late 2019, is leaving the institution, it was announced last week by the board of trustees. A search for her successor is underway.
“We are grateful to Jennifer for her leadership, commitment, and service to our community,” said Board President Chris Van Buren, in a statement. “During her tenure, she guided the library through many important moments, including the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, when her leadership helped ensure that the library remained a vital resource and place of connection and support for our community. We are proud of what the library has accomplished under Jennifer’s leadership.”
Citing personal reasons for her departure, Podolsky issued a statement: “It has been an extraordinary privilege to serve as the executive director of Princeton Public Library for the past six years. I am grateful for the opportunity to work alongside such a talented, dedicated, and caring staff, and to be part of a community that understands how essential a library is to the life of a town. I will carry with me the people who make this library special: the staff, trustees, patrons, volunteers, and community partners who show up every day with generosity, curiosity, and a belief in what a public library can be. I am grateful for the trust Princeton has placed in me and for the many relationships and memories I will take with me into my next chapter.”
Podolsky was preceded in her role by Brett Bonfield, who directed the library from 2016 to 2019. Previous to Bonfield, the institution was led for 16 years by Leslie Burger, who retired in July 2015. Burger was instrumental in the
expansion and rebuilding of the library and creation of the adjacent Hinds Plaza in April 2004.
Early this year, budgetary issues resulted in the library reducing its hours by one hour a day, and modifying access to on-demand streaming services.
The history of PPL dates from 1909, when it was located at Bainbridge House on Nassau Street, currently home to Art@Bainbridge, a branch of the Princeton University Art Museum. In 1966, the institution moved to its current location at 65 Witherspoon Street. When it was decided to expand the library at the same site, operations were moved temporarily to the Princeton Shopping Center. The new, 58,000-square-foot building opened in 2004.
Van Buren’s statement did not specify a departure date for Podolsky, but said the Board was actively overseeing the transition and is committed to ensuring continuity for its patrons and community.
“We are deeply grateful to our dedicated staff for their ongoing commitment to the library and to the Princeton community, and for all they do each day to make the library a welcoming place for everyone,” he said. “We are confident in our staff and look forward to continuing to serve Princeton throughout this transition and beyond. We will share additional information about the transition and next steps as they become available.”