Sacramento library taps New Jersey director to replace retiring Rivkah Sass

Sacramento’s library board has selected a California native and New Jersey library director to replace Rivkah Sass as head of the region’s 28-branch library system.

Peter Coyl, 41, director of the Montclair Public Library, is scheduled to begin work Jan. 3 to replace Sass, who is retiring after 12 years of guiding the system and winning national acclaim for her leadership.

Coyl was born in Santa Clara and lived for a time as a boy in Sacramento, where he received his first library card as a 5-year-old, he said Friday in a telephone interview.

“I’m very excited to come back to Sacramento,” Coyl said. “I’m excited to come work with such a fantastic staff that has done such amazing things and to build on the great foundation that has been built there.”

Coyl said Sass will stay on for a short period to help him transition into the post and that he has no immediate plans for changes.

“I’m not going to make any changes for a while,” he said. “I’m going to spend the first months listening and learning.

“Rivkah is certainly a tough act to follow. She’s been fantastic, and super helpful and supportive.”

Coyl is vice president of the Freedom to Read Foundation and serves on the American Library Association’s Intellectual Freedom Committee, the library board said in announcing his selection.

He also served on the Public Library Association’s task force on Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice. Coyl has a master’s degree in library and information science from Drexel University and has spent 20 years working in libraries, with posts ranging from bookmobile driver to branch manager.

Sacramento’s library system is the fourth largest in California.