NEW ROCHELLE, NY (October 12, 2026) — The Friends of the New Rochelle Public Library issued a detailed response Monday to the Library Board of Trustees’ announcement that the nonprofit organization would suspend operations October 16, disputing the board’s account of who decided to close the bookstore and accusing library officials of imposing unreasonable deadlines, restricting volunteer access and attempting to displace the organization from its longtime location.
In an October 12 letter addressed to donors and supporters, Friends President Emeritus Amy Tietz and President Pro Tempore Lynette Phillips challenged the trustees’ statement that the board had accepted the Friends’ notification that they would pause operations.
“It is important to understand that the decision to close was made by the Library Board, NOT the Friends,” the letter states.
The Friends said they would no longer accept donations of books or money until further notice. The organization, chartered in 1977, has supported library programs and provided affordable books to New Rochelle residents for nearly 50 years.
The response follows a statement from the trustees blaming the suspension on the Friends’ leadership’s alleged failure to comply with library policies and resolve concerns about volunteer oversight, conduct and space within the building during preparations for a major renovation.
The Friends acknowledged that some changes were necessary, particularly concerning the storage of donated books, but challenged how the library administration implemented those requirements.
“Certain regulatory obligations long applicable to the Library premises and staff are newly required of the Friends volunteers by the Library administration – most of which are entirely appropriate,” the Friends wrote.
The letter describes what the organization considers an increasingly difficult relationship involving shifting deadlines, restricted access to its inventory and exclusion from decisions affecting the bookstore.
The Friends said their basement storage area contained approximately 50,000 books when they were informed in late 2025 that the space was unsafe and the books had to be relocated.
According to the letter, trustees initially established a March 2026 deadline, subsequently accelerated it to February and then February 13. The Friends said their volunteers, many in their 70s and 80s, sorted, boxed, labeled and moved the collection into an alternative basement storage room provided by the library.
The Friends said more than half the inventory had to be discarded because the replacement space was insufficient. The library paid for the removal and disposal of the books.
The storage concerns are supported by a December 15, 2025, architectural assessment prepared by Lothrop Associates Architects. The report, previously obtained by Talk of the Sound, identified code-compliance problems involving sprinkler coverage, overhead clearance and emergency exits in the basement storage area.
The Friends said they voluntarily stopped accepting book donations in February because of space limitations. They subsequently faced requirements for sexual harassment training and background checks before volunteers could access the relocated inventory.
The organization alleges that library officials also restricted basement elevator use, changed storage-room locks and made access to the books contingent on the availability of library staff to supervise.
In March, according to the Friends, the library informed them that lobby space used for book sales would be repurposed for children’s programming. The Friends said they moved shelving and bookcases in April and reorganized their bookstore in May to accommodate those plans.
Despite the growing disagreements, the Friends said they presented the library with a $40,000 contribution in June for children’s, young adult and adult community programming, which the library accepted.
The organization also reported completing sexual harassment training over the summer, restructuring its book-pricing policies in response to trustees’ concerns and beginning implementation of a formal volunteer background-check process in September.
A separate disagreement arose over plans to relocate the bookstore as part of the library’s proposed $55 million renovation.
According to the Friends, an August 24 presentation revealed plans to replace the bookstore near the Lawton Street entrance with a seating area containing tables and chairs. The Friends said approximately $70,000 in donor and supporter contributions had been invested in the bookstore.
In exchange, the organization said it was offered several narrow bookshelves adjacent to the first-floor administrative offices, with implementation scheduled for November 1.
The Friends said they responded September 18 with three alternative first-floor locations capable of accommodating their operations, inventory and customers. They requested a response by September 25 because of the approaching relocation deadline.
According to the letter, trustees acknowledged the proposal and promised to respond but did not resolve the issue. The November 1 deadline remained in place.
The Friends also reported that on October 3, they learned library staff and security personnel had been instructed to turn away prospective book donors, despite the organization’s having recently resumed accepting donations informally.
The letter concludes with allegations that the trustees have barred Friends volunteers from accessing the bookstore, office and stored inventory, sought replacement volunteers and refused to continue discussions while any current member of the Friends’ board remains in office.
The trustees’ original announcement expressed hope that the Friends could eventually return with new leadership.
In that statement, Board President Rhiannon Navin said the trustees had a responsibility to maintain a safe and respectful environment.
“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 Friends’ letter does not identify the particular conduct allegations underlying the trustees’ statement. The competing accounts also leave unresolved whether the Friends formally elected to suspend operations or whether actions by the trustees effectively forced the closure.
The Friends expressed hope that the dispute could be resolved and bookstore operations restored.
“Hopefully this situation will soon be resolved and we once again will be able to contribute to the continued growth and success of the Library and its community patrons,” the letter concludes.
Talk of the Sound is seeking interviews with representatives of both the Library Board of Trustees and the Friends of the New Rochelle Public Library to further examine the dispute.
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This article was prepared with the assistance of AI tools under the direction and editing of Robert Cox.
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