(NEWARK, NJ) -- Mayor Ras J. Baraka and the Board of Trustees of the Newark Public Library announced the appointment of Christian Zabriskie as Director of the Library on July 5, 2023. Mr. Zabriskie has more than 20 years of urban public library experience. He most recently led the Onondaga County Public Library where he oversaw libraries in the City of Syracuse as well as providing library support services to an additional 22 independent libraries in the County.

“Newark is very fortunate to have such a distinguished new Director of the Newark Public Library as Christian Zabriskie. His track record of impactful engagement with urban and marginalized populations will inform his initiatives here in our city and provide access to a full spectrum of innovative library services for all,” said Mayor Baraka. “On behalf of every Newarker, I welcome Mr. Zabriskie and look forward to the many ways we will benefit from his inclusive, forward-thinking leadership.”

Mr. Zabriskie is a popular writer and speaker in the library profession where he explores issues like library advocacy, library services for adoptive and foster families, services for migrant and refugee populations, and trauma-informed leadership. He is the co-founder of Urban Librarians Unite, a NYC based not-for-profit that focuses on frontline library workers in urban centers. He served as the organization’s executive director for a decade.

“Christian Zabriskie brings a wealth of leadership experience to the Newark Public Library as well as a deep commitment to advocacy, social justice, and inclusion, said Newark Public Library Board of Trustees President Dr. Lauren Wells. “His work has empowered relationships between communities and libraries, produced cutting edge research about trauma in urban libraries, and created spaces for library professionals to learn from each other. We are excited to have Mr. Zabriskie’s experience, knowledge, and ideas lead the Newark Public Library toward a 21st century library system that enriches the experiences of our patrons and partners.”

Mr. Zabriskie holds a Master of Science degree in Information & Library Science from Florida State University as well as a Master of Arts degree in English Language & Literature from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including the New York Library Association’s Outstanding Service to Libraries Award, 2019, and Library Journal’s Librarian of the Year for 2020.