The slate of candidates for the upcoming Great Neck Library election on Oct. 30 is now official.

Current trustee Scott Sontag is running for re-election to the four-year-term spot on the Board of Trustees and faces three independent candidates. Sara Rivka Khodadadian, Chayim Mahgerefteh and Aliza Reicher, all from Great Neck, will be vying for Sontag’s seat.

Sontag, who works in the financial industry, received his B.S. from SUNY Binghamton in electrical engineering and M.S. from NYU Polytechnic in computer science. He currently sits on the board and has said his priorities lie in better technology.

“Libraries provide a building block in education; are centers for development, research, and socializing, and provide access to books,” he said in a candidate statement. “The biggest change to libraries is technology. Adopting technology will increase remote access to materials, a critical element along with getting people to the library.”

Sontag said that during his tenure, the board has improved technology with a mobile application, updated website, Radio Frequency Identification checkout, and expanded programming. He said that notably, the board hired a director who has completed several capital renovation projects.

Khodadadian is a legislative aide with a B.S. from Touro University and has been a library patron for over two decades. She vows to complete board responsibilities and fight for intellectual freedom.

“In serving as a trustee, I would use my skills and professional experience to make helpful suggestions to advance our library,” she wrote in a statement, “I will regularly attend meetings, listen to the community, prioritize fiscal responsibility, collaborate with fellow board members, and advocate for increased programming. In light of the disturbing national trends surrounding book banning, I pledge my commitment to intellectual freedom.”

CPA Mahgerefteh is also running for Sontag’s seat and is currently a tax senior at the Deloitte accounting firm in the hedge fund group. He has a B.S. from Yeshiva University’s Sy Syms School of Business, where he had a major in accounting and minor in finance.

“Throughout my life I have cherished the value of education, and I firmly believe that libraries play a vital role in fostering a thriving community,” he said in a candidate statement. “As a Certified Public Accountant, I can promote responsible allocation of the library’s financial resources to benefit all our residents. I am so proud of Great Neck’s diversity. I believe that if we respect and learn from one another, then we can unify Great Neck into an even stronger community.”

Last for Sontag’s seat is Reicher, a bankruptcy attorney, legal writers and editor at Thomson Reuters Practical Law. She earned a B.A. from Barnard College, Columbia University, in political science and achieved a J.D. from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.

“A great public library is rooted in freedom of speech, freedom of expression, equality, community and connection,” she wrote in a statement, “I’m running for library trustee because I want to help foster those values in the Great Neck Library. I want to help the library bring more amazing programs to children and adults, enhance the usability of the library’s technology, facilities, and services, and ensure our generous budget is funding the types of programs Great Neck needs and wants.”

Daniel Pitt Stoller is the only candidate for the expiring term as chair of the nominating committee, where Marietta DiCamillo sits now. He is an English teacher at Schechter School of Long Island. Stoller was on the Great Neck Board Advisory Committee in 2023 and holds a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania and M.F.A. from New York University.

“As a longtime member of library, a grown-up Levels kid, former Levels staff member, and parent of two young library users, I am committed to the library’s mission as a preserver of the world’s knowledge and the world’s stories,” he wrote, “including diverse ideas and perspectives. A strong proponent of free speech, I unequivocally oppose any efforts to censor, exclude, or cancel certain books. I want the library to remain an inclusive and accepting environment for all.”

Joanna Stolove is running for the expiring term of secretary on the nominating committee, where Marianna Wohlegemuth sits now. She is a licensed clinical social worker with a B.A. in psychology from SUNY Buffalo and M.A. from Yeshiva University, Wurzweiler School of Social Work.

Stolove is a member of numerous community organizations, such as Girl Scouts of Nassau County Troop Leader, chair for Great Neck Service Unit, Great Neck Public Schools Board Advisory Committee, Saddle Rock PTO Executive Board, Temple Beth-El of Great Neck Young Family Committee, Kulanu Religious School Education Committee member of the Aging Life Care Association and a member of the National Association of Social Workers.

“As a community social worker, I understand the significance of community spaces that encourage connection, learning and growth,” Stolove wrote. “Our library exemplifies these qualities. It would be an honor to serve on a committee that provides the community with a vetted candidate for the Board of Trustees. I would seek out nominees with a strong connection to both the library and the larger community, as well as a deep understanding of the bylaws that govern our library.”

A meet-the-candidates night will take place on Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. in the main library community room, hosted by the League of Women Voters.