The winged lion and the griffon are appropriate guardians for Lillian H. Smith Library and especially the Merril Collection of Science Fiction, Speculation, and Fantasy that is housed there.
The winged lion is the symbol of Mark the Evangelist, who founded the church of Alexandria. Meanwhile the griffon is a monster who guards priceless treasure—in this case, knowledge. A closer look at the statues reveals they also have little animal companions around their feet. The pseudo-sphinx has a chimpanzee, a horse, a mouse, and more for friends, while the griffon’s allies include an owl and a fox.
