NEW ROCHELLE, NY (August 20, 2024) — New Rochelle will soon have a new librarian at the helm of the New Rochelle Public Library.
The Board of Directors of the New Rochelle Public Library is pleased to announce that it has hired Eugenia Schatoff as NRPL’s new Library Director, effective October 1, 2024. The appointment was made following a four-month nationwide search.
Schatoff will replace Tom Geoffino.
As Director, Ms. Schatoff will oversee the continued revitalization of the library, with a renewed emphasis on ensuring the library is a best-in-class facility, expanding programming and services to meet the needs of the diverse and growing New Rochelle community, and strengthening community partnerships.
“Eugenia is a results-driven, experienced leader who will bring a sophisticated approach to systems, processes, management and structure, which makes her ideal for our new Director at an important time for the Library,” said Lucille Renwick, President, New Rochelle Public Library Board of Trustees. “What was most impressive is her deep passion for public libraries and the enthusiasm and commitment she has brought to her work. The Board is delighted she is joining our team and is confident she will lead NRPL to new heights and be a tremendous asset to our community.”
Ms. Schatoff’s dedication to public libraries began at the Albany Public Library where she started as a clerk, and then interned in the Community Relations department working on their bookmobile. Energized by these experiences, she continued to work her way through the ranks, first as a Teen Librarian, then School Librarian, and ultimately as a Library Director at Watervliet and West Nyack Public Libraries.
Her most recent role has been as the Director of the Pearl River Public Library where she oversaw a successful bond referendum campaign to renovate the existing building. Ms. Schatoff was a 2024 recipient of the 17th district’s Congressional Woman of Distinction Award and was named New York Library Association’s Innovative Library Director of the Year for 2023.
“Coming from an immigrant family, public libraries have always represented the pathway to participation in American society for me,” said Ms. Schatoff. “I’m honored to have the chance to collaborate with such a committed board and talented group of professionals. I am thrilled to give back to the vibrant New Rochelle community, which is especially meaningful to me, given my mother’s nearly 30-year tenure as a teacher at Isaac E. Young Middle School.”
Ms. Schatoff received a BA in Eastern European Area Studies from Excelsior College, an MA in Russian and an MSIS, Library and Information Services from the University at Albany, and an advanced graduate certificate in Public Library Administration from Long Island University. She resides in Rockland County with her husband and three children.
The New Rochelle Public Library is a community resource that seeks to improve the life of every citizen in our city. The Library offers a comprehensive print and digital collection that includes retrospective and current materials, up-to-date technology for public use, and a wide range of community services and programs tailored to a diverse audience. Chartered in 1894, NRPL is a school-district library with its own operating budget and a Board of Trustees composed of seven elected members. It has served the 81,500 residents of New Rochelle from its Main Library building in the downtown business district since 1979. A smaller branch, located in the park in front of the New Rochelle High School, was restored through a grassroots effort and currently operates as the Huguenot Children’s Library.
