Last November, New Yorkers were happy to see the beloved New York Public Library lions, Patience and Fortitude fully restored. Now, in celebration of the NYPL’s 125th Anniversary this year, the two lions were provided today with large, “lion-sized” copies of two books that were just released on the Library’s 125 Books We Love list: Beloved by Toni Morrison and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Patience and Fortitude with Lion Sized Great Gatsby BookPhoto by Jonathan Blanc / NYPL.

The 125 Books We Love list is in time for Valentine’s Day of course, and also includes favorites like The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, Gotham: A History of New York to 1898, Atonement, 1984, The Bonfire of the Vanities, Brooklyn, Brideshead Revisited, Catch-22, the Catcher in the Rye, Devil in the White City, the English Patient, A Game of Thrones, and over 100 more.

Patience and Fortitude with Lion Sized Beloved BookPhoto by Jonathan Blanc / NYPL.

Patience and Fortitude with Lion Sized BookPhoto by Jonathan Blanc / NYPL.

The 125 books were chosen by librarians, and according to the NYPL all highlight “the unique role public libraries play in connecting people to the books that spark a lifelong love of reading.” In conjunction, the NYPL is asking the public to share what book made them #LoveReading on social media.

Patience and Fortitude with Lion Sized Great Gatsby BookPhoto by Jonathan Blanc / NYPL.

Next, check out the Top 10 Secrets of the NYPL.