meet the trustee : ellie kassner

How long have you lived in Tomkins Cove? Since I was born!

What is your favorite part about living in Tomkins Cove? I love being close to the Hudson River. I also love that we can have so many great neighbors, as well as a lot of wooded space. The quiet peacefulness of Tomkins Cove has to be my favorite part of our town.

Do you have a special memory at the library? The Tomkins Cove Public Library has been in my life for as long as I can remember. It used to be my bus stop, and every day after school I would stop in, do my homework, talk to Mrs. James, our Library Director for many years, and then head home. I have always been so awed by the beauty of the building and have harbored a fantasy about living there among the books. Dorky, I know!

What is your favorite book? These questions are hard! I love The Bluest Eye, by Toni Morrison who is my absolute favorite author. Runner up is Ways of Dying, by Zakes Mda, a wonderful South African author. I love novels but I also love other fiction like short stories. And poetry. And non-fiction. And I even got into graphic novels for a while. And current events / news every day. Okay, turns out I can’t pick after all.

Anything else we should know about you? I love sailing on the Hudson River. I’m not that great of a sailor, but I love the freedom of being on the water, propelled by nature. On another note, I’d like to share how much my love for libraries has been enriched since having my son, Zenzi, who is now 2. His eyes light up when he walks through the door, and it reminds me of all the wonder TCPL holds.