Schaumburg Twp. library names 1st new director in 41 years

Stephanie Sarnoff has reached the top of her profession in the Empire State, but says she is looking forward to "moving up" to Schaumburg.

Sarnoff, the director of the Scarsdale Public Library in New York, will become the first new director of the Schaumburg Township District Library in 41 years on Feb. 2.

She will succeed Michael Madden, who led the library's growth from a small, almost country facility to becoming nationally known.

"The Schaumburg Township District Library has a national reputation," Sarnoff said. "It is a paragon of library service."

Sarnoff believes the Schaumburg Township library also is a product of the culture of library excellence in suburban Chicago which she says does not exist at the same level in New York.

On the East Coast, many libraries are run by municipalities and are the first to feel the pinch when funding is tight, she said. In many areas of Illinois, libraries are supported by their own taxing districts.

"When libraries can go directly to the voters, voters show their support," Sarnoff said.

Though the national library community is bound together through its shared values, expertise and difficulties, Sarnoff became even more familiar with the resources that set Illinois libraries apart when her daughter moved to the Chicago area several years ago.

"When I saw this position advertised, I said I would not be true to myself if I did not throw my hat in the ring," Sarnoff said.

She stood out among 30 applicants because she has more than 20 years of executive experience -- and because of her personality, which seems a good fit, Trustee Robert Frankl said.

Her appointment Monday night was approved unanimously by all seven board members.

Though Madden's place in the history of the library is secure, it's put the library in a position to draw top candidates, trustees said.

The new director was meant to start before Madden's Dec. 31 retirement, but the search took longer than planned.

"Despite the fact we have folks on this board with 40 years' experience, we've never been through this before," board President Ruth Jonen said.

Madden has agreed to stay on as a consultant for the weeks between his retirement and Sarnoff's arrival.

The board Monday also agreed to ask the Schaumburg village board to designate a portion of the parking lot roadway in the Town Center as "Honorary Michael Madden Way."