The Board of Trustees of the Yonkers Public Library has appointed Jesse Montero to lead the library system.
Montero, a Westchester native, will take the helm of the largest public library system in Westchester County, with three branches serving a diverse population of 200,000. Montero joins YPL as library director after a 15-year career at Brooklyn Public Library, where he most recently served as director of its landmark Central Library.
“We are delighted to welcome Jesse to Yonkers and to our public library system,” said Nancy Maron, president of the Board of Trustees. “With the experience Jesse brings in innovating libraries, and the deep community ties Susan Thaler has developed as deputy director, we have a dream team we know can lead the Yonkers Public Library to new heights.”
“The Board of Trustees has made an outstanding choice in Jesse,” added Thaler. “I’m excited for the opportunity to work with him to lead YPL into the future and to make this beloved community institution even greater.”
In recent years, YPL has gained recognition as a critical community resource partnering with the City of Yonkers, Yonkers Public Schools, Westchester County government, and a wide array of organizations throughout the city. Initiatives have included a 30 percent increase in programming to meet the needs of the community, a $4.5 million multi-year façade renovation at the Will branch, and technology enhancements like the launch of Tech Central, a state-of-the-art tech center at the Riverfront Library – the first of its kind in Westchester County.
“I am honored to join the YPL,” said Montero. “There are so many exciting things happening at YPL, and in Yonkers as a whole. I’m thrilled to work with the board, staff, and partners throughout the city to provide innovative and impactful library services to its residents.”
“The City of Yonkers sees the Yonkers Public Library as the jewel in the crown of this great city,” said Mayor Mike Spano. “We welcome Jesse, and are all excited to work together on this next chapter of this important institution.”
Montero will begin his new role as director March 30.
Montero was most recently director of the Brooklyn Public Library’s Central Library, where he was responsible for day-to-day public service operations for a 350,000-square-foot facility that attracts more than 1.2 million visits a year and whose collections have an annual circulation of more than 1.5 million.
Throughout his career, Montero has managed a diverse portfolio of technology, space planning, staffing and collections projects. While at BPL, he planned and opened the Shelby White and Leon Levy Information Commons at the Central Library in 2013 – then a groundbreaking training and collaboration space that has since been widely emulated by other public libraries. As Central Library director, he revitalized the building’s reading rooms through beautification and collections projects, and by wiring their reading tables with electrical outlets to better support laptop use by Brooklyn’s thriving freelance and creative community.
