Actor and Amagansett resident Alec Baldwin has donated $250,000 to the 's soon-to-be constructed children's wing addition.
In the past six months, Baldwin has given at least $750,000 to East Hampton organizations.
, which provides performances, films, readings and exhibitions in East Hampton, along with arts education in schools and other activities, in May.
According to a statement from him at the time, he was donating all of the proceeds from a Capital One commercial and Guild Hall was just one of the recipients; The New York Philharmonic, the Roundabout Theater and the were also named as beneficiaries, though the amounts were not then known.
In July, the Baldwin had turned over another $250,000 to the East Hampton-based festival, of which he is on the board of directors.
According to a statement from the library that was received on Tuesday night, Baldwin's donation also originates from the proceeds of his advetising campaign for Capital One Bank’s Venture Rewards credit card. "He has earmarked all of the proceeds from the promotion to the funding of arts and cultural organizations," it said.
This isn't the first time Baldwin has donated to the library. In 2010, he gave $25,000, earmarked for the new addition.
He serves as the honorary co-chair of the library's Children’s Addition Committee, and is a co-founding chair of the library's well-attended "Authors Night" fundraising event in the summer. It was actually at that event on Aug. 13 when Baldwin revealed his plans to the library board of managers Chairman Tom Twomey, the statement added.
The library's new addition, which has been the subject of much debate in East Hampton over the years, will add more than 2,000 square feet to the existing children’s room. In May, eight years after the process to build a children's wing began, the New York State Supreme Court overturned the village's decision in a .
More than 10,000 children’s books will be added, in addition to new computers, seating, and other age-appropriate amenities. The addition will also make the entire library handicapped accessible with a second elevator and there will be 16 more parking spaces on the property post-construction.
“Over the last several years, Alec has been a tremendous supporter of the East Hampton Library,” said library executive director Dennis Fabiszak. “We greatly appreciate this generous donation for the library’s Children’s Addition, which will enable us in our ongoing mission to continue to provide outstanding library services to the East Hampton community.”
According to the library, construction is expected to start in the spring of 2012, with a completion date of late spring 2013. In May, the board said it had raised about $4 million, half of what was needed for the construction.
