Library leaders insist Friends must replace current leadership; officials explain what happened to thousands of donated books
NEW ROCHELLE, NY (October 13, 2026) — New Rochelle Public Library officials are proposing mediation to resolve what has been a yearlong dispute with the Friends of the New Rochelle Public Library, offering a potential path toward reopening the organization’s popular used-book bookstore while insisting that the Friends must replace their current leadership.
The proposal represents the first indication of a possible negotiated resolution since the Library Board of Trustees announced that Friends operations would be suspended effective October 16.
The dispute became public last week when trustees announced that the Friends would suspend operations, citing concerns about volunteer conduct, compliance with library policies and disagreements over space within the building. In a detailed response Monday, the Friends disputed the trustees’ account, insisting that the library board had effectively forced the closure and accusing officials of imposing unreasonable deadlines and restrictions.
The two organizations have offered sharply differing accounts of a conflict that has developed over nearly a year, involving building safety, volunteer oversight and plans for a major library renovation.
In an interview Tuesday with Talk of the Sound, Library Board President Rhiannon Navin and Executive Director Eugenia Schatoff proposed bringing in a professional mediator to help bridge the differences between the two organizations. Both expressed optimism that the relationship could eventually be repaired, while making clear that the trustees are unwilling to continue working with the Friends’ current leadership.
Schatoff emphasized the longstanding contributions of the Friends, which has raised money for library programs and offered affordable used books to New Rochelle residents for nearly 50 years.
“We’re stronger together,” Schatoff said, emphasizing that the library and its Friends organization share a love of books and a commitment to serving the community.
The officials acknowledged that the two sides have become entrenched in their positions but suggested that mediation, combined with new leadership for the Friends, could provide a way forward. No mediator has been hired, and it remains unclear whether the Friends would accept the proposal.
Library Insists on New Leadership
Navin described the current Friends leadership as “compromised” and said the trustees had invested considerable time and resources attempting to resolve the disagreements, including expenditures for legal counsel.
She acknowledged that the Friends had made efforts to comply with library requirements but said those efforts had not progressed within the timetable established by library officials.
Navin characterized continued attempts to resolve the disagreements under the current circumstances as “too heavy a lift.”
The trustees’ insistence on new leadership corroborates one of the central allegations in the Friends’ October 12 statement. In that letter, Friends President Emeritus Amy Tietz and President Pro Tempore Lynette Phillips alleged that the trustees had refused to continue discussions while any current Friends board member remained in office.
The Friends also challenged the trustees’ characterization of the suspension.
“It is important to understand that the decision to close was made by the Library Board, NOT the Friends,” the organization stated.
The Friends acknowledged legitimate concerns about safety and volunteer requirements but accused library officials of imposing shifting deadlines, restricting access to donated books and involving the organization too late in decisions affecting its bookstore.
Navin described the library as being at a “pivotal time” following voter approval of a $55 million capital improvement bond in May. The library is developing a master plan to address longstanding problems with its building. She emphasized the importance of moving forward with those plans and resolving operational problems that could complicate the renovation.
What Happened to 50,000 Donated Books?
Library officials also provided additional information Tuesday about what happened to thousands of books donated by New Rochelle residents over the years.
The Friends reported Monday that approximately 50,000 books had been stored in the library basement, where architects identified significant fire-safety and building-code concerns in December 2025. The Friends said more than half the collection had to be discarded after library officials ordered the books relocated to a smaller storage area.
An assessment by Lothrop Associates Architects documented problems involving sprinkler coverage, inadequate overhead clearance and emergency exit arrangements. The report recommended several possible corrective measures. Navin and Schatoff explained Tuesday that efforts to sort and relocate the books began in January 2026.
A portion of the collection was moved into a locked classroom in the library’s basement, allowing those books to remain in the building.
Other books were transferred to Bay State Book Company, a business that works with libraries and nonprofit organizations to manage surplus and donated books.
According to the company’s website, Bay State Book Company handles large collections of used books, evaluating materials for resale, redistribution or recycling.
The involvement of Bay State provides additional context for the Friends’ statement that more than half the inventory had been “discarded”. While books were removed from the Friends’ collection, the library’s account indicates that at least some were transferred to an organization that seeks to reuse or recycle books rather than simply dispose of them as trash. It remains unclear precisely how many books were retained in the library, how many were transferred to Bay State and what ultimately happened to the books removed from the collection.
No Timetable for Resuming Book Donations
The library is not currently accepting new book donations for the Friends, and officials could not provide a timetable for when donations or bookstore operations might resume.
Asked whether a resolution could be expected within weeks, months or even years, Navin and Schatoff declined to offer a specific timeframe. Both expressed hope that the disagreement could be resolved sooner rather than later, but indicated that any reopening would depend on reaching an acceptable arrangement between the library and the Friends.
The Friends, in their Monday statement, similarly expressed hope that bookstore operations could eventually resume.
“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 organization wrote.
The mediation proposal introduces a potential way to resolve the conflict, but the central obstacle remains the trustees’ insistence that the Friends replace their leadership. Whether the Friends would agree to that condition, or whether a mediator could help the parties reach an alternative arrangement, remains unanswered.
For now, the bookstore’s future remains uncertain as the library prepares for its $55 million renovation.
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Friends of New Rochelle Public Library Dispute Board’s Account of Bookstore Shutdown (10/12/2026)
New Rochelle Library $55 Million Bond Voter Guide 2026: Full Analysis + Questions to Ask (4/15/2026)
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.com (preferred) or contact via WhatsApp: +353 089 972 0669.
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