Donnelly's gifts

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Friends and admirers of Peter Donnelly, president of the Corporate Council for the Arts, have reversed roles and made him a marquee name.

The art and literature collection in Seattle's new Central Library will be named The Peter F. Donnelly Art and Literature Collection.

"More than any other individual in our region, Donnelly has furthered a universal appreciation, understanding, love and support for the subjects reflected in the art and literature collection," said Deborah Jacobs, Seattle City Librarian.

The honor is a nice twist on the generous philanthropy that is helping build and burnish the new library, which will open in fall, 2003. An extraordinary fund-raising campaign has raised $69 million of a $75 million goal for private contributions.

This is on top of the $194 million provided by Seattle taxpayers to rebuild the Central Library and renovate and rebuild neighborhood libraries.

Amazingly, the private money flooded in before a single spade of earth has been turned for the building being designed by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas.

One device for generating private donations was connecting gifts to naming rights for the library's five book collections. Each has been sponsored.

What makes the Donnelly tribute unique is that contributors pooled their gifts, $1.25 million, to honor someone else, not their own civic generosity.

Donnelly earned this kind of loyalty and following. The arts council is funded by 600 corporations, as well as foundations and individuals.

Donnelly is a Renaissance man in his public and private life. And now his name will be over the books that tell the story behind that description.