Sandra PAYNE
Sandra Payne died on July 3, 2021. She was sixty-nine years of age and a resident of New York City and St. Louis, Missouri, at the time of
her death.
A native of St. Louis, Sandra attended Soldan High School. She studied Fine Arts at
Washington University in St. Louis and received her Master’s of Fine Arts degree from the
University of South Florida in Tampa in 1976. After relocating to New York, Sandra
completed a postgraduate visual arts program at the Whitney Museum and a Master’s degree
in Library and Information Science at Long Island University in 1978.
Sandra began her NYPL career in 1981. She was a Young Adult Librarian at several locations
including Wakefield, Nathan Straus Young Adult Library, Yorkville, Chatham Square, and St.
George. She became the Staten Island Borough Young Adult Specialist, a position she held
for fifteen years. She moved to the Office of Young Adult Services, first as Assistant
Coordinator, then Coordinator. At the time of her retirement in 2009, Sandra was the
Assistant Director for Education Outreach.
Sandra was an accomplished visual and collage artist. She maintained her East Village
apartment and studio while residing part time in her family home in St. Louis. Her work
incorporated a variety of images of jewels, feathers, and precious stones, along with collages
of immersive spaces and evocative installations and digital media. She was frequently
exhibited and was actively planning new shows at the time of her death. Sandra maintained
countless lifelong connections with colleagues in literary, library, and art circles. She worked
closely with publishers to connect young adult authors with librarians and teens and
developed innovative programming for all. Throughout her life and career, Sandra was an
invaluable friend and mentor to many.
See New York Public Library Retirees Newsletter, Issue 47, page 2
See New York Public Library Retirees Newsletter, Issue 46, page 15.
See New York Public Library Retirees Newsletter, Issue 38, page 9.
See New York Public Library Retirees Newsletter, Issue 33, page 8, 15, 24.
See New York Public Library Retirees Newsletter, Issue 28, page 18.
See New York Public Library Retirees Newsletter, Issue 27, page 8, 17.
Sandra Payne died on July 3, 2021. She was sixty-nine years of age and a resident of New York City and St. Louis, Missouri, at the time of
her death.
A native of St. Louis, Sandra attended Soldan High School. She studied Fine Arts at
Washington University in St. Louis and received her Master’s of Fine Arts degree from the
University of South Florida in Tampa in 1976. After relocating to New York, Sandra
completed a postgraduate visual arts program at the Whitney Museum and a Master’s degree
in Library and Information Science at Long Island University in 1978.
Sandra began her NYPL career in 1981. She was a Young Adult Librarian at several locations
including Wakefield, Nathan Straus Young Adult Library, Yorkville, Chatham Square, and St.
George. She became the Staten Island Borough Young Adult Specialist, a position she held
for fifteen years. She moved to the Office of Young Adult Services, first as Assistant
Coordinator, then Coordinator. At the time of her retirement in 2009, Sandra was the
Assistant Director for Education Outreach.
Sandra was an accomplished visual and collage artist. She maintained her East Village
apartment and studio while residing part time in her family home in St. Louis. Her work
incorporated a variety of images of jewels, feathers, and precious stones, along with collages
of immersive spaces and evocative installations and digital media. She was frequently
exhibited and was actively planning new shows at the time of her death. Sandra maintained
countless lifelong connections with colleagues in literary, library, and art circles. She worked
closely with publishers to connect young adult authors with librarians and teens and
developed innovative programming for all. Throughout her life and career, Sandra was an
invaluable friend and mentor to many.
See New York Public Library Retirees Newsletter, Issue 47, page 2
See New York Public Library Retirees Newsletter, Issue 46, page 15.
See New York Public Library Retirees Newsletter, Issue 38, page 9.
See New York Public Library Retirees Newsletter, Issue 33, page 8, 15, 24.
See New York Public Library Retirees Newsletter, Issue 28, page 18.
See New York Public Library Retirees Newsletter, Issue 27, page 8, 17.