When Leslie Polott arrived at the Hudson Library and Historical Society in 1996. She headed out into the community to find out what people wanted from their library. After rounds of surveys, focus groups, and town meetings, she knew: a library that was the center of their educational and cultural lives, that provided more opportunities for learning, and that offered a livelier, more responsive collection. Polott partnered with a number of organizations, including the Oberlin College Conservatory, to increase dramatically programming at the library, sometimes holding events on the library's back lawn. Children received Homework Connection, an after-school tutoring program; Kinder-Music, a music enrichment program; and much more. She developed non-English collections, expanded and marketed the book collection, and upped the electronic holdings through ebrary and Classical.com. This article discusses Polott's career and academic accomplishments.