Great Neck Library Director Denise Corcoran is resigning from her position, the library said Wednesday, marking the latest in a series of rapid changes at the top rank.
Corcoran, who oversaw 20 community libraries in Queens in her last position, was appointed in January last year and officially started on Feb. 1, 2018. She replaced Kathy Giotsas, who was fired in spring 2017.
“The Great Neck Library Board of Trustees has received the resignation of Denise Corcoran as Director of the Great Neck Library,” the library said in a statement. “We thank Ms. Corcoran for her service and all she has achieved while here. We also wish her the best in her future endeavors.”
Robert Schaufeld, the president of the library board, said he could not comment on the reason for her planned departure.
“All I can say is that we’re going to be going through a transitional period and the board will work very closely with the outgoing director and the interim acting director once one is appointed to have a smooth transition,” Schaufeld said.
Schaufeld also noted that the appointment of an interim director is on the agenda for the library’s reorganizational meeting on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in the Main Library.
Informed about Corcoran’s submission of a resignation letter, activist Rebecca Rosenblatt Gilliar, who also served on the Director Search Committee that selected Corcoran, said the library should do what it can to keep Corcoran on board.
“The library board, whose new members will be seated in a few days, should endeavor to promise Ms. Corcoran the support she needs to remain in her job to resurrect the library after years of mismanagement,” Gilliar said. “The task is enormous.”
Since 2009, there have been three hired directors and three acting library directors.
Jane Marino was hired as director in 2009 and served until 2012, Laura Weir served as interim director from 2013 to 2014 before retiring, and Christine Johnson served as interim director from 2014 to 2015.
Kathy Giotsas was hired in summer 2015 and fired in spring 2017, leading to Tracy Van Dyne – then known as Tracy Geiser – serving as interim library director. Corcoran was then hired in January 2018 and began Feb. 1, 2018.
Schaufeld said he couldn’t give a date for Corcoran’s resignation, but that it is not “effective immediately.”
Van Dyne and Corcoran were not immediately available for comment.
