This week, I'd like to highlight some cats doing important work - cats in libraries! These library cats not only help keep books and manuscripts safe from rodents, they can also help bring attention to the library with their animal attraction! Some famous library cats of recent years include Dewey the library cat, as well as Baker and Taylor, but library cats are not a new invention. In fact, catexplore.com says the tradition goes all the way back to ancient Egypt, where cats were used to keep mice and rodents from damaging the scrolls there. Cats in libraries also had an important role during the middle ages with their rodent catching skills. This helped to keep the books safe, and also helped keep the people safe from mice and rats that spread disease.
Today's library cats duties tend to be more driven focused on being ambassadors for the libraries rather than working in pest control. Catster tells the story of 2 library cats from the 1980s named Baker and Taylor. These 2 Scottish Fold cats were originally brought in as exterminators. The library was new and had been built where an alfalfa field had been, so mice and voles were still in the area, so they thought the cats would help to keep them out of the library. They decided to make a promotional poster featuring the 2 cats and it became a smash hit! People started flocking to the Douglas County Public Library in Carson Valley, Nevada to see them. The success of the posters lead to other merchandise like mugs and bags, and a fan club was set up for the 2 famous kitties! They even had their own theme song, which you can hear in the video below!
Perhaps the most famous library cat was named Dewey Readmore Books, who resided at the Spencer Public Library in Spencer IA. According to their website, Dewey the library cat was put in the book deposit slot on a cold January night in 1988, and was adopted by the library staff. The orange charmer caught the attention of the locals, and became an attraction unto himself. Catexplore says he even became a big star in Japan after starring in a documentary, and has a series of books written about him by they former library director, Vicki Myron. Although he passed away in 2006, you can still buy a postcard featuring Dewey from the Spencer Library website, here!
Catexplore.com explains that not only are cats an attraction that helps bring interest to the library, they can also help young students learning to read to feel more comfortable. It can be encouraging to read to a friendly feline instead of trying to read to another person. But, some people are allergic to cats, and that can bring controversy to library cats. MentalFloss.com mentions an incident where a library cat named Jasper who was forced out of the library because of allergy complaints. American Libraries Magazine says the Michigan library where Jasper worked didn't have the resources to handle lawyer fees, so the library director brought him home instead.
A library cat named Browser caused a controversy in Texas. He had been brought in as a mouser, and became a popular fixture at the library. Then, in 2016, after 6 years on the job, the local council voted to remove him. After being picked up in media stories, people from around the world mobilized to help Browser stay on the job. TheGuardian.com reports that more than 700 people signed a local petition, and over 12,000 people signed a change.org petition in favor of the beleaguered cat, and Browser was allowed to stay on! The local mayor said he received messages in support of Browser from all over the U.S., as well as from Germany, Australia, Malaysia, Guam, and England!
While library cats can be controversial, the outpouring of support for Browser just goes to show that cats remain a popular part of the culture, thousands of years after they first started protecting the libraries at Alexandria!
Cover photo by Marco Chilese on Unsplash
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