Meow-velous: Cats at the Library

DOMESTIC CAT. Photography. Britannica ImageQuest, Encyclopædia Britannica, 25 May 2016.
quest.eb.com/search/138_1073169/1/138_1073169/cite. Accessed 28 Oct 2017.

We're gutted to have missed National Cat Day on October 29th, but as Sandra Boynton pointed out on Facebook, "...March 28 is Respect Your Cat Day, May 30 is International Hug Your Cat Day, June 15 is World Catnip Awareness Day, June 25 is Take Your Cat to Work Day, August 8 is World Cat Day, Sept 1 is Ginger Cat Appreciation Day, Oct 16 is Feral Cat Day, and Oct 27 is National Black Cat Day," so we have plenty of other chances to celebrate our purry pals. Cats and libraries are a natural match! The tradition of having a cat in the library is allegedly dates back to the Egyptians, and there are cats in libraries worldwide. (There are also cats in the Hermitage Museum in Russia. Which has a library.) There are famous library cats - Dewey! Baker & Taylor! - and not so famous ones.

They have a job description:

1. Reducing stress for all humans who pay attention to him.
2.  Sitting by the front door every morning at 9:00 am to greet the public as they enter the library.
3. Sampling all boxes that enter the library for security problems and comfort level.
4. Attending all meetings in the Round Room as official library ambassador.
5. Providing comic relief for staff and visitors whenever possible.
6. Climbing in book bags and briefcases while patrons are studying or trying to retrieve needed papers underneath him.
7. Generating free national and worldwide publicity for Library. (This entails sitting still for photographs, smiling for the camera, and generally being cute.)
8. Working toward status as world’s most finicky cat by refusing all but the most expensive, delectable foods — and even turning up his nose at those most of the time.

Allergy complaints have made their positions more scarce recently. One cat was nearly banished, but ended up staying on the job after a petition was circulated and the city council voted to retain his services.

There's a stereotype of the cat-loving librarian. We don't know that all librarians love cats, but we sure do! Our library system does not have library cats, but we'd like to point out that even without a resident cat, the library catalog offers plenty of ways to enjoy felines - dander-free! Here's some standout items:

The Inner Life of Cats: The Science and Secrets of Our Mysterious Feline Companions by Thomas McNamee

The Dalai Lama's Cat and the Power of Meow by David Michie [eBook]

Shop Cats of New York by Tamar Arslanian

Cat Tales: True Stories of Kindness and Companionship With Kitties by Aline Alexander Newman

The Cat Whisperer: Why Cats Do What They Do-- And How to Get Them To Do What You Want by Mieshelle Nagelschneider

Men With Cats: Intimate Portraits of Feline Friendship by David Williams

Call of the Cats: What I Learned About Love and Life From a Feral Colony by Andrew Bloomfield

The Old Man and the Cat: A Love Story by Nils Uddenberg

Total Cat Mojo: The Ultimate Guide to Life With Your Cat by Jackson Galaxy

Lost and Found Cat: The True Story of Kunkush's Incredible Journey by Doug Kuntz and Amy Shrodes[eBook]

DVDs

The Story of Cats

The Secret Life of Cats 

Kedi

A Street Cat Named Bob