The Library Bears

By sculptor Karl Schiefer
Gift from the Monroe County Public Library Foundation – "The Friends of the Library"
Dedicated 1997

The bears are made from Monroe County limestone and together weigh 4 ½ tons:

Walking bear (father bear) – 2 tons
Mother and baby bear – 2 ½ tons

Sculptor Karl Schiefer sees the bears as a family group, and feels the library is where the bears were meant to be. He hopes that whoever sees them will recognize the family unity represented by the bears.

The Library Bears were a gift from the Monroe County Public Library Foundation, also known as the Friends of the Library. They were purchased to enhance the Library Plaza on Kirkwood Avenue, and to celebrate the library as the center of the community.

Naming Ceremony for the Library Bears