Award-winning author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is one of four honorees named a “Library Lion” by the iconic New York Public Library for their “tremendous cultural impact and legacies.”

The award ceremony, which was held as part of an annual fundraiser for the library, took place at a gala in New York. It seeks to celebrate writers, authors, politicians and philanthropists who have distinguished themselves in their distinct fields. Honored alongside Adichie were Tina Brown, Jonathan Lethem, and Darren Walker.

Established in 1895, the New York Public Library (NYPL) is one of the largest and most equipped libraries in the world. It is home to over 53 million items in over 92 locations. The library is equally of a huge cultural impact to New Yorkers, and is often regarded as a landmark of sorts.

Adichie remarked that the award was “utterly spirit-lifting.” As an honoree, she joins an elite league of previous awardees that include the writers Margaret Atwood and Zadie Smith, as well as Nelson Mandela, Oprah Winfrey, and Academy Award winner Martin Scorsese.

Congratulations to Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.