Let's talk library pets.
Anyone have something that draws people into the library? I heard a program on NPR interviewing the author of Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World and it sounds like a fascinating story.
If you don't, what's the reasoning behind the decision?
If you could have any pet in the library, what would it be (sky's the limit here--we're wishing)?
3 comments:
I think most of us tend away from that because of so many pet allergies. I have friends for whom a library cat would mean they would be unable to use the library without incredibly runny eyes, nose, and headache.
I wouldn't mind having a library elephant--if I didn't have to clean up after it ;)
Myron (the author) apparently talks about how they dealt with allergies in the book--she mentioned for those really allergic they'd lock the cat up in the office. Dewey only went to certain areas in the library, too.
Here in Baraboo we had a goldfish that served as our children's department mascot for over 20 years. Yes, it was an amazing ancient fish. We had (and still have) a goldfish handstamp that we bestow on little hands.
Fish looked very decrepit. A patron offered to take Fish home with her to live in her "retirement pond for aging fish." Really. So we planned a big retirement party for Fish, with fishy crafts and a big article in the newspaper and lots of decorations and hoopla. You guessed it. Fish died the morning of the retirement party. So we held a celebration of Fish's life instead. Very fun.
We tried to replace Fish four times, but each new fish died within a few hours, even in a new bowl. So the spirit of Fish lives on, and we have given up trying to find a replacement.
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