Vice President Amanda Sellinger
Tell us a little about yourself.
I was born and raised in Scotch Plains, less a few years in Pennsylvania for college and Germany, as a military spouse, where I gave birth to my first-born daughter. When I moved back to the U.S. and had my second child, I knew I wanted to raise my children in Scotch Plains. My family roots are still in town, as my brother is the Captain of the Police Department, and my father lives down the road from both of us. Aside from being a single mother, I am also a realtor for Christie’s International Real Estate. I think it’s important to invest where you live, so I volunteer whenever possible, like for this Library and the Patrick’s Downtown Race to Summer 5K event.
What led you to want to serve on the Library Board of Trustees?
I believe the library is truly a staple in every town. I’ve been coming to the Scotch Plains Library since I
was four years old, and it’s been the same since I’ve known it. I have the privilege of being part of the
Library Board and the re-development process, and I can’t wait to see all the plans we’ve been working
on come to fruition. I also think being part of the Board serves as a great example to my children so that
they can see what a difference we can make within our community.
What do you love about the library?
I have so many memories as a child myself and with my own children at this library. I believe that every
library defines each community, and you can learn a lot about a town based on their library, specifically
within the diversity of their offerings and programming. Scotch Plains is a safe place for everyone and is
all inclusive in its offerings.
What is something you wish other community members knew about the library?
Our library has so many offerings beyond checking out a book, newspaper, or a movie. As a board
member I want to make the community more aware of the additional offerings we have, such as, but
not limited to, health and wellness information, youth services programs, and the ability to check out an
Chromebook to help patrons stay connected to the new world. In the same sense, we’ve also
adapted to the modern world and now offer curbside pick-up to make check-outs more accommodating.
What is something you’ve recently read and would recommend?
My most recent read is something I’ve read three times already. I often read books over and over
because I don’t think you can absorb all of the information or all of the story the first time around. The
book is, Never Split the Difference, by Chriss Voss. I believe this book continues to educate me on
how to better communicate in all areas of my life, but specifically, with my children, my significant
other, my clients, and with the other volunteers within my community.
June 2022
Board President Richard Fortunato
Tell us a little about yourself.
My wife and I and our three sons moved to Scotch Plains from Red Bank. I grew up in Red Bank and Little Silver. I worked as a lawyer in Manhattan for a large law firm for 26 years, concentrating on finance and corporate law. Currently I’m involved with a software as a service company based in Princeton. I’ve been on the Board of Trustees for four years and President of the Board for the last two and a half years. I’ve been on the Zoning and the Planning Board (being on the Library Board has been much more enjoyable) and am involved with Immaculate Heart of Mary parish and its finance council.
What led you to want to serve on the Library Board of Trustees?
I have always loved reading and as a child regularly visited the town library. The library always offered a friendly place to wander around and see what kinds of books were available – whether The Phantom Tollbooth or something more serious – and to expand my horizons, as well as to do school projects. When I grew up there was no internet. When you had to do research for school, that meant going to the library and often asking the librarians for help. I wanted to be a part of making the joy of reading and learning available to today’s young people. To me, the key to learning is a love of reading. Recently, the library had a bookmark available at the circulation desk with a picture of a bee on it and a line that reads “Bee Bright – Read”. I thought that was pretty catchy.
What do you love about the library?
The new fiction book collection, the adult programs (such as The Night Sky with an astronomer a few months back) and the huge variety of on-line learning opportunities (such as the Rosetta Stone language courses). More broadly, I appreciate the staff’s efforts to make programs available which appeal to a broad swath of our community.
What is something you wish other community members knew about the library?
I wish that people were more aware that the library is much more than only a place to borrow books. With all the activities going on at the building and programs offered in person and online, the library is a center for community life in Scotch Plains just as much as are our parks and our recreation and senior citizen programs.
What is something you’ve recently read and would recommend?
I like reading fiction in my free time, particularly historical and science fiction. All of Bernard Cornwell’s books, such as Agincourt and Waterloo which I recently read, are great reading.
May 2022