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The New York Public Library
Public Relations Office
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New York, NY 10016
phone: 212.592.7700
fax: 212.592.7729
Van Cortlandt Branch Library Receives $25,000 Bequest from
Loyal Patron
New York, NY, September 1, 2004 -- The Van Cortlandt
Branch Library has received a $25,000 bequest from the Estate of Eleanor Levine.
Ms. Levine was a longtime resident of the Bronx and a Van Cortlandt Branch Library
patron who supported the Library generously during her lifetime and who had
a strong desire to protect and preserve the Library resources and services she
had enjoyed since childhood. Ms. Levine's bequest included an additional $275,000
for the Library's general purposes.
Much credit should be given to Phyllis Schwartz, Executrix of the estate, for
without her judgement and discretion in executing Ms. Levine's wishes, this
gift would not have been possible. "Ms. Levine's generous legacy and the tireless
efforts of Ms. Schwartz will have a lasting impact on the thousands of patrons
who rely on the Van Cortlandt Branch Library for their education, self-improvement,
and entertainment," said Mary Elizabeth Wendt, The New York Public Library's
Associate Director for Bronx Branches. Funds from this bequest will be used
to supplement the Large Print and Videos/DVDs collections at the Van Cortlandt
Library. Also Horace Harrison, the Branch Librarian, is planning to organize
special programs for Senior Citizens paid for with bequest funds.
Through her planned bequest, Ms. Levine was a member of the Library's Bigelow
Society, which entitles members to receive invitations to special events, tours
and classes offered by the Library.
An Estate and Gift Planning Seminar will be held at the Riverdale Library on
Tuesday, September 28, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The New York Public Library's
consultant, John Brown, Jr., will present estate planning concepts in easy-to-understand
terms, in a relaxed and encouraging environment, free of charge. The program
will include information on federal estate and gift taxes, wills vs. living
trusts, passing assets on to heirs without gift and estate taxes, avoiding capital
gains taxes on appreciated stock and generating additional income. Registration
is required, call 212.930.0856 or contact the Riverdale Library, 5540 Mosholu
Avenue at West 256th Street, 718.549.1212.
