NRPL Board of Trustees
The Library Board of Trustees meets at the Library on the second Thursday of each month at 7:30 pm. Click here to view the 2023-2024 meeting schedule. Meetings are open to the public. If you wish to contact the Board of Trustees please email trustees@nrpl.org, or click on each member’s email address below to contact a trustee directly.
Trustees
Whitney Barrat | President | wbarrat@wlsmail.org |
Corey Galloway | Vice President | cgalloway@wlsmail.org |
Lucille Renwick | Secretary | lcrenwick@gmail.com |
Beth Acocella | bacocella@wlsmail.org | |
Rhiannon Navin | rnavin@wlsmail.org | |
Tatiana Infante | tinfante@nrpl.org | |
Fela Cortes | fcortes@nrpl.org |
2023-2024 Board of Trustee Meeting Schedule
November 27, 2023 – Special Meeting
- The Public Budget Hearing will begin at 7:00 pm followed by the monthly meeting at 7:30 pm
- The Public Budget Hearing will begin at 7:00 pm followed by the monthly meeting at 7:30 pm
- Based on notices and health advisories issued by Federal, State and Local officials, and pursuant to Executive Order 202.1 of the Governor of the State of New York, dated March 12, 2020, (updated on September 27, 2021) the February 10, 2022 meeting of the New Rochelle Public Library Board of Trustees will be convened in remote mode only. Members of the public can join the meeting here (with passcode: 026228) or by the link in the agenda.
Based on notices and health advisories issued by Federal, State and Local officials, and pursuant to Executive Order 202.1 of the Governor of the State of New York, dated March 12, 2020, (updated on September 27, 2021) the January 13, 2022 meeting of the New Rochelle Public Library Board of Trustees will be convened in remote mode only. Members of the public can join the meeting here or by the link in the agenda.
Patrons may click on the links below:
Special Meeting – May 28, 2020
August 11, 2016
September 8, 2016
October 13, 2016
November 10, 2016
November 10, 2016 – Addendum
December 8, 2016
BY-LAWS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE
NEW ROCHELLE PUBLIC LIBRARY
- This organization is and shall be known as the New Rochelle Public Library existing by virtue of the provisions in the Charter Number 813 granted by the University of the State of New York on July 5, 1894, as amended September 25, 1980 and as amended March 25, 2003, and exercising the power and authority and assuming the responsibilities delegated to it under the said Charter.
- The business and affairs of the New Rochelle Public Library shall be managed and conducted in a manner consistent with the laws and policies that have been established by a Board of Trustees which shall be seven in number and elected by the voters of the City of New Rochelle School District in accordance with the Amendments to the Library Charter approved by the Regents on March 25, 2003.
- The term of elected members of the Board of Trustees shall begin on July 1 following the election and end on June 30th of the fifth year of service. The term of members of the Board of Trustees appointed by the Board of Education prior to July 1, 2003, shall end on June 30th of the fifth year of their term.
- If a vacancy occurs for reasons other than expiration of term, a majority of the remaining Trustees will determine whether to leave the vacancy open until the next Library election, call for a special election to elect a Trustee to fill the vacancy, or appoint a qualified person until the next election.
- Any trustee who shall fail to attend three consecutive regular meetings of the Board and shall fail to present an excuse satisfactory to a majority of the Board at or before its next regular meeting, shall, upon resolution of a majority of the Board and upon five days notice mailed to him/her, be deemed to have resigned as a Trustee.
- The Officers of the Board of Trustees shall be elected at the Annual Meeting or first regular meeting each year and they shall be a President, Vice President, and a Secretary, elected from among the Board of Trustees.
- Officers shall serve a term of one year from the Annual Meeting at which they are elected and until their successors are duly elected. Tenure of the President, Vice President and Secretary of the Board shall be limited to three consecutive full terms of one year each.
- The President shall preside at all meetings of the Board, authorize calls for any special meetings, appoint all committees, execute all documents authorized by the Board, serve as ex-officio voting member of all committees, and generally perform all duties associated with that office.
- The Vice President shall preside at meetings of the Board in the absence of the President, and shall perform such other duties as are generally associated with that office.
- The Secretary shall keep a true and accurate record of all meetings of the Board, shall issue or cause to be issued notice of all regular and special meetings, and shall perform such other duties as are generally associated with that office.
- In addition to the foregoing duties, each officer shall have additional powers and duties as may be conferred upon him/her from time to time by the Board.
- An officer may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by the affirmative vote of four Trustees at any regular or special meeting of the Board.
- The regular meeting of the Board shall be held on the second Thursday of each month, except that the July and/or August meeting(s) may be canceled at the discretion of the Board. Written notice thereof shall be sent to all Trustees by the Secretary not less than five days or more than ten days prior to such regular meeting. The Board may meet on shorter notice or on a different date if every absent Trustee waives notice in writing or by telephone.
- Special meetings may be called by the Secretary at the direction of the President, or at the request of a least three of the Trustees, for the transaction of business as stated in the call for the special meeting. Notice requirements for a special meeting shall be the same as for a regular meeting.
- A quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting shall consist of a majority of the entire Board, who shall be present in person. In the absence of a quorum, the Trustees present may adjourn the meeting to a date determined, and written notice thereof shall be sent to all Trustees.
- The Director shall attend all meetings, may participate in the discussion, and offer professional advice, but is denied a vote on any question.
- The President shall appoint such committees as the business of the Board may require from time to time. These committees shall consist of one or more members whose terms shall expire on June 30th of each year.
- When appropriate each committee shall make a progress report to the Board at its meetings. No committee shall have other than advisory powers unless the Board has delegated specific power to act upon its behalf pending a subsequent meeting of the Board for confirmation.
- The Board shall appoint a qualified Library Director who shall be the executive and administrative officer of the Library on behalf of the Board and under its review and direction.
- The Director shall report to the Board the appointments and promotions and specify the duties of the Library employees, and such appointments and promotions shall be in accordance with all applicable civil service regulations and contractual obligations.
- The Director shall assist the Board in any collective bargaining negotiations with representatives of employees and may recommend the form and substance of agreement for action by the Board.
- All communications from the staff to the Board of Trustees shall be transmitted through the Director, who shall have the right of recommendation prior to consideration by the Board of Trustees. The Director shall not arbitrarily withhold such communication and the employee may address a copy for information to the Secretary of the Board.
- The Director shall submit monthly and annual reports of the work of the Library, and perform such other duties as the Board shall direct.
- The Director is responsible for the proper direction and supervision of the staff, for the care and maintenance of library property, for an adequate and proper selection of books in keeping with the stated policy of the Board, for the efficiency of service to the public, for preparation of the budget, and for operation of the library within the final budgeted appropriation.
- All vouchers submitted to the School District Treasurer shall be certified by the Library Director and counter signed by any two Trustees.
- The Board shall hold in trust and manage all library property; develop policies under which the library shall be operated; shall annually determine the budget to be submitted to the voters of the City School District of New Rochelle as required by law; determine the number of employees and their classifications, fix their salaries and retain them during its pleasure in accordance with all applicable civil service regulations and contractual obligations.
- Any employee of the library against whom charges have been preferred shall have the right to a hearing in accordance with Disciplinary Procedures set forth in the CSEA contract.
- No individual member of the Board has authority to issue orders for or in the name of the Board, unless especially empowered to do so by a majority of the Board.
- The Board may amend these by-laws by a majority vote of all members provided notice of the amendment has been sent or delivered to each member of the Board thirty days prior to the meeting.
Click here for a printable version.
A Message Regarding December 10, 2022 Non-Library Event at the New Rochelle Public Library (issued December 18, 2022)
On Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022 a community event in honor of a young New Rochelle resident tragically killed by gun violence was held at the New Rochelle Public Library (NRPL) theater, and organized by New Rochelle community members. The intent of the program, and as it was presented to the Library, was to “bring awareness to black on black violence in the community that has happened, is happening, and will continue to happen if we do not address the problem and find a solution.”
The Library understood the program to be a collaborative effort of local organizations and leaders to bring unity to the community, and its goal is typical of the type of program for which we would normally make the Library’s theater available.
The Library had no knowledge that the Nation of Islam (NOI) was part of the program. NRPL does not condone nor support any organization that espouses hatred, bigotry, antisemitism or intolerance of any kind, and we do not invite such organizations to present within our facility. Had the Library known that NOI would be present, and participate, we would have asked for them to be removed from the program.
Read the full statement here.
Physical Conditions Assessment of NRPL and HCL Presentation – October 8, 2020 – view here. |
Statement by the NRPL Board of Trustees: June 29, 2020 |
The New Rochelle Public Library Board of Trustees joins with the Westchester Library System in condemning both the recent violence and the systemic injustice against Black people and people of color in the United States. We are committed to anti-racist practice and will use our skills and resources to advance the production of knowledge for social justice. We stand in solidarity with the Black Caucus of the American Library Association. Read their statement here. The Board also supports the Action Statement of the New York Library Association and New York Black Librarians Caucus, view here. |
The New Rochelle Library Board of Trustees will be attending this meeting to voice their concerns about the impact of the 11 Lawton Street development project on the New Rochelle Public Library. (Issued September 24, 2019)
Statement from the New Rochelle Public Library Board of Trustees on the Downtown Redevelopment (Issued on March, 28, 2018)
