Honorees

 

We are delighted to announce the Honorees at the 2025 Lit Gala: Mountainside Medical Center and Margot Sage-EL of Watchung Booksellers

Over the years, Mountainside Medical Center has partnered with the library to provide free healthcare screenings, referrals, and vaccines. They have been a long-time sponsor of Little Read, promoting literacy and supporting children’s library programs. Mountainside also funded a Nursing Mother’s Room at the Main Library. Margot Sage-EL is also a long-time partner, serving on the volunteer Advisory Board for the Open Book / Open Mind program, sponsoring the Little Read, and working tirelessly to champion the work of local authors. 

Margot Schwaab Sage-EL, born and raised outside of Boston MA, earned her BA from Barnard College, and arrived in Montclair (after the usual UWS/Brooklyn route) in 1990.  Embraced by a community of spirited souls passionate about art, politics, social justice and literacy, Margot created Great Owl Books, a mail order catalog of multicultural children’s books and folded that into Watchung Booksellers in 1996.  She has spent the last three decades growing this community bookstore with the help of amazing booksellers, devoted readers, fabulous authors and a hugely supportive family.  Margot and her husband Barry raised their three children, Trevor, Madeleine and Olivia, here and all benefited from the Montclair public school system.  Margot was a founding member of the UUCM Undoing Racism Committee, served on the New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association board of directors, and on the American Booksellers Association advisory board.  She currently serves on the Montclair Public Library’s Open Book/Open Mind advisory board, MPL Friends Steering Committee and Succeed2Gether’s Montclair Literary Festival advisory board.  Now with the bookstore under Maddie’s leadership, Margot is semi-retired (still hosting those great author events!), totes her grandchildren around town, and is again pursuing sculpture.

Mountainside Medical Center has been a trusted provider of healthcare in Montclair and surrounding New Jersey communities since 1891. The hospital is home to specialized centers for imaging, women’s health, cancer care, cardiac care, surgery, weight management, stroke, and chronic kidney disease. Designated as a Primary Stroke Center by the NJ State Department of Health and Senior Services, Mountainside is one of the few community hospitals in the state licensed to perform emergency cardiac angioplasty, offering advanced, life-saving care close to home.
The hospital also features Mountainside Medical Group with expert physicians across primary care and various specialties, ensuring seamless and coordinated care for patients. With conveniently located offices in Montclair, Glen Ridge, Clifton and nearby towns, Mountainside Medical Center makes accessing quality healthcare simple and accessible. To learn more, visit www.mountainsidemedicalcenter.com.