Queens Library Director Thomas Galante Placed on Indefinite Paid Leave by Library Board

From the NY Daily News:

The story of embattled Queens library chief Thomas Galante entered a new chapter Thursday night after he was put on indefinite leave by the board.
Galante, who has headed up the Queens public library since 2003, will get full pay [$392,000/year] while he is out on leave…
But he’s banished from the library pending the results of a full financial audit by City Controller Scott Stringer and the outcome of a probe of the library’s construction projects by the FBI and the city’s Department of Investigation.
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The interim president and CEO to replace Galante is Bridget Quinn-Carey, the library’s chief operations officer.
As The News first revealed months ago, Galante had built a $27,000 private smoking deck adjacent to his executive offices; was holding down a private consulting job for a Long Island school district that paid him more than $100,000 a year; and had awarded millions of dollars in lucrative library renovation projects to a longtime acquaintance connected to the same Long Island school district.

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The Queens Library also shared these statements with infoDOCKET.
Statement From the Library

The Board of Trustees of Queens Library met this evening.
The Board approved a motion that places Thomas W. Galante on paid administrative leave, effective immediately. Bridget Quinn-Carey, the current Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, will serve as Interim President and CEO. The Board is confident that Ms. Quinn Carey, who is a seasoned librarian and experienced leader, will ably guide the Library during this period.
The Board directed its Audit Committee to provide Comptroller Stringer full access to all financial documents from state, federal and private sources that he has requested. It will also investigate opportunities to resolve the current dispute through mutual agreement. Tonight’s decision by the board is part of its ongoing efforts to insure the public that the Library’s actions are being conducted in an open and transparent manner.

Statement by Bridget Quinn-Carey:

“Queens Library has a critical mission to provide information and education. It has long been a model of excellence. I look forward to working with the Board of Trustees, our elected officials and colleagues at all levels of the organization, including our union, to build on the library’s outstanding work. There are 2.3 million people

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