Lily - HPL's Mascot

If you've been inside HPL, you've seen the large frog at the entrance to the children's room. But did you know that not only does she have a name, but she is HPL's official mascot? In fact, she oversees a whole assortment of other frogs sitting all around the library. 

So let's meet Lily, HPL's official mascot. 

This is Lily's story, compiled by Barbara Haywood, Marketing and Programming Coordinator, as told by Diane Hawkins, former Assistant Director, and Peggy Hemerling, former Director.

As the new library moved closer to completion in 2007, the city began to look into adopting an animal mascot, as several cities around us had done.

The staff was invited to a showing of different statues. If the city picked one, each participating business could decorate it as they wished. We went to the showing and thought the frog would be perfect because of our focus on building a “green” building. 

Our research showed that frogs can be a bell weather for the health of the environment. The frog’s permeable skin allows them to absorb water and pollutants directly from their environment. Since their life cycle depends upon both aquatic and terrestrial habitats, making them sensitive to both water quality and land health, a decline in their population can signal issues like pollution, habitat degradation, or climate change.

We think the Friends helped the library purchase the frog. We then sent out invitations to local artists for designs. Selecting a winner was difficult, but consensus was finally reached, and Hastings resident Pat Taffee Johnson was selected.    

In preparing her design, Pat spent several weeks visiting the library and talking with the children she found there. As she visited with them, she captured their thoughts on books and reading, and also quickly sketched them.

It took weeks to complete all the medallions painted all over Lily and match them with the children’s stories and quotes about the magic of books and reading. Once complete, and after the painting was protected from damage that might be caused by curious hands, the Frog was moved into her place, guarding the entry to the Children’s Area.

She was a sight to behold on her lily pad. She was read and reread and her beauty praised.  But one question always lingered… “What is her name?” 

So, the librarian asked for suggestions, and there among all the names was the perfect one, taken from her favorite place: Lily.