On the eve of Election Day, crowds of writers, artists and politicians stepped past the stone lions outside the New York Public Library’s regal main branch on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan to attend the Library Lions gala, an autumn tradition that raises funds for the city’s largest library system.
Ritual to the event is the honoring of several cultural figures who become appointed as institutional ambassadors known as “Lions.” This year’s honorees were Spike Lee, the journalist Elizabeth Kolbert, the author Amy Tan, the biographer Jon Meacham and the playwright Suzan-Lori Parks.
The gala dates to the 1980s, and it is a dependably swanky affair on the city’s cultural calendar that draws a who’s who of literary stars and creative luminaries. But amid the celebrations this year, there was a tang of anxiety in the air: Many attendees couldn’t help but think of the election night ahead, and minds seemed to wander as guests toasted one another with champagne flutes.
As the library’s Astor Hall began to fill, Mr. Lee sat pensively by himself at a long table in a stately periodicals room, preparing to enter the fray of the gala’s cocktail hour. He was tending to some emails on his cellphone while he wore the red sashed medal that signified his newly minted Lion status.
“I’m honored to become a Lion, but tomorrow night is the election of the next president of the United States of America,” Mr. Lee said. “So I’m honored to be here, but my mind isn’t fully here.”
Nonetheless, Mr. Lee expressed his affection for the New York Public Library as an institution, and he said that the first book he read seriously as a 7th grader growing up in Brooklyn was “The Autobiography of Malcolm X” as told to Alex Haley.
“That was the most important book I ever read,” Mr. Lee said. “I still always go back to it.”
Soon, Astor Hall was bustling with crowds, and servers wended through the room with trays of foie gras, mini jelly doughnuts and lamb loin bites with mint chutney. Jay McInerney hung out by a bar. Francis Ford Coppola and Gay Talese sat together at a table quietly taking in the scene. Senator Chuck Schumer, the playwright Lynn Nottage and the journalist Calvin Trillin were also in attendance.
Camera flashes went off when Martha Stewart entered the library wearing a white Brunello Cucinelli dress and a vintage Ralph Rucci jacket.
“This is my favorite library in the whole world,” Ms. Stewart said. “I did research here for my thesis at Barnard College.”
When the lifestyle mogul was asked if she had an election night ritual planned, she offered: “Unlike some of my friends who need to take a sleeping pill at 6 p.m., I’ll stay awake for the whole thing.”
Mr. Meacham, who donned his red sashed Lion medal proudly, reflected on what it meant to celebrate the arts and humanities on the eve of the election. Mr. Meacham is known for his acclaimed presidential biographies, including his Pulitzer Prize-winning book, “American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House.”
“On a night like this, as our nation prepares to make this choice, it’s moving to be here,” Mr. Meacham said. “I mean, just look up at this place. Here we are, standing in a temple to democracy.”
Of his own election night viewing plans, Mr. Meacham said: “I’ll be back at home in Nashville. Chewing on a cigar. Mainlining Diet Coke. With the Book of Common Prayer beside me.”
Guests made their way upstairs to the Rose Main Reading Room, where they dined on Maine crab salad and roast chicken. From a stage surrounded by a jazz band, the library’s chair, Abby Milstein, started the ceremony, which raised more than $3 million.
“I think it’s fair to say that tonight we’re all a bit preoccupied with the events of tomorrow,” Ms. Milstein said. “It’s actually quite appropriate for us all to be gathered here tonight, because a vibrant public library is a bedrock institution of a healthy democracy.”
When Mr. Schumer took the stage, he kept his remarks notably apolitical, although he encouraged everyone to go out and vote. Then the library’s president, Anthony Marx, called each of the honorees to the stage as soaring piano and string music played from speakers.
In Mr. Marx’s own speech, he more directly addressed the political climate pervading the night. He did so partly by calling attention to someone in the audience, Amanda Jones, a librarian from Watson, La., who was invited as a special guest to the gala.
“It is an honor, but not always easy, to work at a library,” Mr. Marx said. “In these times, it can take a great act of courage to do our basic work.” He continued: “I’m honored that we are joined by a very special middle school librarian from Louisiana. When her school library faced bans on books that included L.G.B.T.Q. characters, she decided to stand up, despite the threats.”
He asked Ms. Jones to rise to take in the crowd’s applause.
“Amanda reminds us the power of our voice,” he said, “the day before America will elect its next president.”
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