NEW ROCHELLE, NY (October 9, 2026) — The Friends of the New Rochelle Public Library will suspend operations effective Friday, October 16, following a dispute with library officials over volunteer conduct, compliance with library policies and space within the building as part of an upcoming renovation.
The New Rochelle Public Library Board of Trustees announced that it had accepted the Friends’ notification that the organization would pause operations until further notice, ending, at least temporarily, the activities of a nonprofit organization that has supported the library for more than four decades.
In a statement, the trustees said the decision followed several discussions and attempts to resolve outstanding concerns about volunteer oversight and conduct, as well as efforts to identify a mutually acceptable location for the Friends as the library develops a new floor plan for its renovation project.
“Despite these efforts, the Friends’ leadership failed to adhere to Library policy and prevented us from reaching an agreement,” the trustees said. “These requirements are essential conditions for operating within the Library.”
Board President Rhiannon Navin said the trustees’ responsibility to maintain a safe and respectful environment guided their decision.
“Our responsibility to ensure that the Library remains a safe, welcoming, and respectful environment for everyone must guide our decisions,” Navin said. “The Friends’ leadership’s refusal to meet these basic requirements prevented us from reaching an agreement that would allow operations to continue for the time being.”
The statement did not identify the specific conduct at issue, the policies allegedly violated or the precise nature of the disagreement over space. It also did not indicate whether the trustees had formally voted on any action involving the Friends.
The Friends of the New Rochelle Public Library Inc. is an independent nonprofit organization established in 1978. The organization raises funds through used-book sales and other activities to support library programs and services. It operates a bookstore in the library lobby and is separate from the New Rochelle Public Library Foundation, another independent nonprofit that raises money for library improvements and programming.
The dispute appears to have roots extending back at least to November 2025.
According to minutes of the November 13, 2025, Board of Trustees meeting, then-Vice President Corey Galloway reported that the board was working with the Friends’ leadership to address “safety, fiscal, and collaboration items.” Galloway anticipated that a written agreement would be presented for review at a subsequent board meeting.
In response to a request for documents, Library Executive Director Eugenia Schatoff confirmed Friday that there is currently no formal written operating agreement between the library and the Friends, despite the discussions referenced in the November 2025 meeting minutes. The library’s Adult Volunteer Policy, adopted that same month, requires independent volunteer organizations operating within the building, including the Friends, to maintain a written agreement and ensure that their volunteers comply with library policies.
At the board’s July 16, 2026, organizational meeting, former Board President Lucille Renwick was appointed the trustees’ liaison to the Friends. Schatoff’s August activity report, included in the September board packet, lists a meeting with the Friends on August 4.
The dispute has unfolded as the library prepares for a major renovation financed through a $55 million capital improvement bond approved by voters on May 19. The library has been working with consultants to reconsider how its interior space should be configured to meet changing community needs.
Talk of the Sound reported extensively on the proposed bond earlier this year, including interviews with Schatoff, Navin and other officials, and an examination of the library’s 2020 Physical Conditions Assessment.
That assessment identified fire-safety concerns involving the basement storage room used by the Friends to hold donated books before they were sold in the lobby bookstore. The report documented deteriorated concrete exposing structural steel, missing spray-applied fireproofing and concerns about firestopping around ceiling penetrations, along with electrical outlets requiring attention.
A December 15, 2025, assessment by Lothrop Associates Architects, obtained by Talk of the Sound, documented multiple code-compliance problems in the basement area used to store books. The architects found that shelving obstructed sprinkler coverage, portions of the storage area lacked sufficient overhead clearance, and the arrangement of doors between the storage and mechanical rooms created problems with emergency exits. The report recommended several possible corrective measures, including changes to shelving, fire-rated separation and modifications to the storage area’s layout.
A separate 2026 space audit by ThirdWay Space identified the Friends’ bookstore as occupying valuable space near the library’s entrance and raised concerns about book-sale displays obstructing circulation paths. However, the consultant’s proposed layouts continued to include space for Friends’ book displays, suggesting that the renovation plans contemplated relocating or reconfiguring the Friends’ activities rather than necessarily eliminating them.
The trustees’ statement does not explain what space was proposed for the Friends, what alternatives were considered or why the parties could not reach an agreement. It also remains unclear whether the earlier fire-safety concerns played a role in the current dispute.
Federal tax filings do not indicate obvious financial distress at the Friends, although the organization experienced a substantial decline in revenue during its most recent reported year.
According to IRS Forms 990-EZ, revenue fell 43%, from $95,597 in 2023 to $54,321 in 2024, while expenses increased to $74,936, resulting in a $20,615 deficit.
Despite the shortfall, the Friends reported $96,094 in net assets and no liabilities at the end of 2024. The organization had reported surpluses totaling more than $60,000 over the preceding two years. The filings do not explain the fiscal concerns raised by trustees in November 2025.
The trustees expressed appreciation for the Friends’ contributions and volunteers but indicated that changes in leadership would be necessary for the organization to resume its activities.
“We very much hope the Friends will be able to return with new leadership and address these concerns so that the organization can resume its role as a valued Library partner,” the board said.
Talk of the Sound contacted Library Board President Rhiannon Navin and Executive Director Eugenia Schatoff, who have offered to meet next week to discuss the dispute and provide additional information. Talk of the Sound also attempted to contact the Friends of the New Rochelle Public Library by calling the telephone number listed on the library’s website, but reached voicemail. No direct email address or other contact information for the Friends was available on the website.
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This article was prepared with the assistance of AI tools under the direction and editing of Robert Cox.
Have information about this story? Email robertcox@talkofthesound (preferred) or contact via WhatsApp: +353 089 972 0669.