NEW ROCHELLE, NY (November 11, 2025) — The New Rochelle Public Library Board of Trustees will convene Thursday November 13 for its monthly meeting, spotlighting a blockbuster Children’s Garden grand opening that drew more than 400 attendees last month alongside staff promotions and a freshly processed archive of local artwork.
New Rochelle Children’s Garden Unveils Pavilion in Family-Filled Grand Reopening
Spooktacular Celebration Unveiled at New Rochelle Library Children’s Garden
The in-person gathering at the Ossie Davis Theater begins at 7:30 p.m., with no Zoom option but a recording to follow on the library’s website, nrpl.org. The agenda covers routine items like quorum establishment, minutes approval and departmental reports, plus public comment before adjournment.
October’s board minutes, included in the packet, detail a unanimous approval of promotions for three staffers: Michael Abbruzzi to Maintenance Tradesperson after 15 years of service; Sandra Perez and Marta Santiago to Senior Clerks, effective Oct. 1. The board also honored retiring circulation senior clerk Donna Reitano after 25 years, noting her “reliability, kindness and commitment.”
Director Eugenia Schatoff, marking her one-year anniversary, highlighted the hires in her remote report, praising the “homegrown, in-house talent.” The board greenlit credit card access for new users Jhenelle Robinson, Abbruzzi and James Vasquez.
Resolutions passed included directives for updating all employee job descriptions for “compliance, efficiency and consistency” and clarifying overtime eligibility, confirming it excludes part-time non-union staff for summer Saturday work. Policies approved: revised Teen Room guidelines, new Partnership and Remote Work policies, and Employee Disability Accommodation procedures.
Financial nods included warrants 010-012 for fiscal year 2025-2026 and a $192,149.84 service pact with Westchester Library System for 2026, up slightly due to added hardware and software support. The board also ratified the 2026 holiday closure schedule, listing observances like Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Jan. 18-19 and a noon shutdown on Christmas Eve.
Departmental snapshots paint a vibrant October. Youth Services, newly merged from Children’s and Teen units, celebrated the Oct. 18 garden ribbon-cutting with music from Songcatchers and Rock Your World Kids, face painting, crafts and costumed festivities. “Over 400 people were in attendance, much more than we had planned for or expected,” per Librarian Bobby Simic’s report.
Adult Services hosted a Halloween Cult Horror double feature drawing 18 attendees and Google Workspace classes with three per session. Circulation tallied 10,811 Main branch checkouts, led by juvenile fiction at 4,528, plus 2,510 at Huguenot Children’s Library.
Archivist David Rose completed processing the 6-linear-foot Art and Illustration Collection, spanning 1832-2013 and featuring Norman Rockwell’s “The Land of Enchantment” alongside works by Joseph C. Leyendecker and Lumen Martin Winter. “The histories of the New Rochelle Public Library and the community of artists of the city are inextricably intertwined,” the finding guide states.
Community Relations tallied 64 programs with 1,172 attendees, including sold-out jazz concerts at 138 each during ArtsFest and a Banned Books Week display engaging over 50 patrons. Help & Learning Center offered bilingual tech help, job readiness sessions for 23 participants and Medicare guidance drawing 12.
Schatoff’s November director’s report teases an Adult Volunteer Program launch Nov. 1 for those 18 and older to aid projects and programs. “Volunteering at NRPL is a wonderful way to give back, meet new people, and learn more about what happens ‘behind the shelves,’” she wrote.
Incident logs noted a patron ban after repeated issues, including an Oct. 8 unconscious episode prompting EMS and police response, and a Foundation board member’s minor fall in the Children’s Play Area. Personnel added part-time hourly clerk Donna Reitano on Oct. 21 at $26.11 per hour.
This article was drafted with the aid of Grok, an AI tool by xAI, under the direction and editing of Robert Cox to ensure accuracy and adherence to journalistic standards.
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