They’ve been socially distancing for decades, and now the iconic lions that guard the main branch of the New York Public Library are wearing masks, too.
Workers outfitted the marble lions, named Patience and Fortitude, with Jurassic-sized masks to set an example and remind New Yorkers to stay safe and follow expert guidelines to combat the spread of COVID-19.
“Patience and Fortitude are the perfect symbols for the strengths our city and our nation need now even more,” said New York Public Library President Anthony W. Marx. “Like them, New Yorkers are strong and resilient and can weather any storm. We will get to the other side of this public health crisis together. But to do so, we must remain vigilant, we must have patience and fortitude, and we must follow what experts tell us, especially as we continue to reopen our cities.”
The lions, who celebrated their 109th birthday in May, sit 90 feet apart, flanking the steps of the majestic Beaux-Arts library building at Manhattan’s Fifth Ave. and 42nd St. They wear wreaths every December, wore Mets and Yankees caps during the 2000 Subway Series, and wore top hats to celebrate the library system’s centennial in 1995.
The 3-by-2-foot blue surgical masks were made with non-eroding material to ensure that they don’t damage the marble.
The lion-hearted gesture comes as 22 library branches across the five boroughs prepare to reopen July 13 for grab-and-go service.
The limited reopening in the New York Public Library, the Queens Public Library and the Brooklyn Public Library is the first step of a phased-in approach to resuming service at the city’s physical libraries, which have been temporarily closed since mid-March to help combat the spread of coronavirus.
Research libraries, like the ones where Patience and Fortitude hang out, will remain closed, but will expand digital document delivery to serve scholars, researchers, and students who need access to on-site materials.
