Libraries have long been known as places of comfort and learning, and adding cats to the mix is nothing new. Even the ancient Library of Alexandria had cats to keep mice from getting into the massive amounts of paper stored within. Today, rodent problems are less pressing in libraries, although here in Greene County, bats, rats, and other rogue Dr. Seuss-like creatures are not entirely out of the question! All jokes aside, cats now play a new, yet equally important domestic role in our local libraries.
Just ask Kathy McClure, director of the Eva K. Bowlby Public Library of Waynesburg. “Cats make a library feel like home,” she says as the current feline representative saunters by. Bowlby has opened its doors to cats since the mid-90s and has been home to Molly the Calico since 2018. Molly was originally a staff member’s pet but began calling the library home after her owner was unable to keep her. Feisty at first, but soon settling right in, Molly became a well-loved member of Bowlby’s team. Kathy describes Molly as having a typical “cat personality.” “If she wants to be petted, you will know…and she likes her treats.”
Molly is well-known among Bowlby’s patrons, and certainly has her regulars. One couple visits the library on a regular basis specifically to see their feline friend. A favorite story among the librarians is of a patron using the computer one afternoon. After being warned that a cat might try to approach him, Molly walked up to the patron and pounced on his head. The patron reportedly replied with– “Okay, I see what you mean now!” and a laugh. Patrons are typically good sports about the company of a feline companion, but in the case of an allergy, Molly typically contains herself to certain areas of the library, and the staff vacuums daily.
Kathy jokes that Bowlby and the neighbor across the street share joint ownership of Molly. Since the feline is free to come and go as she pleases, she often ends up on the neighbor’s porch, enjoying the change of scenery. He “really likes her, feeds her, and sends her on her way,” says Kathy, chuckling. But Molly is no stray– she knows exactly where she belongs and allows the children and adults at the library to feel that same sort of safety and belonging when they see her. “The little ones always look for her, even before they reach speaking age,” Kathy says. “They’ll verbalize ‘kitty’ because they know she belongs here.”
Belonging is also a priority at the Flenniken Public Library in Carmichaels. Luckily for cats Harriet Beecher Stowe and Jane Austin, the two belong together. Library Director Nicole Mitchell explains that these literary kitties were found in a barn on the same day in November of 2020, although it is unsure if they are biological sisters. Flenniken Library adopted the two cats from the humane society, and naturally named them after two famous female authors. They have been a staple for many good visits to the library ever since. But just like any human sisters, Jane and Harriet have completely opposite personalities, making them more relatable to a wide variety of patrons. Jane is the greeter and will rush to the door to see if the approaching visitor might offer a treat or a belly rub. Harriet is more skittish, but equally loveable as she is typically found lying on her cat tower or napping on a pillow near her favorite worker.
Nicole says that the cats make wonderful companions at the library, especially for older patrons. Many patrons don’t get out much to socialize, and Jane is especially beloved by seniors in the community. Both cats cultivate a “stay awhile” attitude at Flenniken. Nicole shares that “on several occasions, [a patron’s] bag is too heavy when they go to leave…” We soon figure out why, as the ornery stowaway slinks out of her temporary hiding place in a purse or backpack. “Pets are scientifically proven to calm anxiety,” Nicole says, and this is apparent in patrons’ interactions with Harriet and Jane.
Mostly, the cats bring the Carmichaels community together, and never was this so apparent as in a time of catastrophe for the library. “When Jane went missing, people came out of the woodwork, people we didn’t even know,” says Nicole. The town was concerned for their missing pet, and people flooded the library offering to join the search, and checked in regularly after she was found.
Flenniken, too, is concerned with the comfort and health of all patrons, so the library utilizes three air cleaners especially suited to pet dander, and two other regular purifiers. Additionally, the cats can be taken to the second floor, which is not open to the public, upon request, or for sanitary purposes if an event involves food.
No matter the library in question, each one should aim to be a safe and welcoming place for patrons. Both libraries’ cats are instrumental in achieving this goal. As Nicole says, “Pets give you affection, and it goes both ways.” A library with cats fosters a more connected community and makes us more empathetic to the needs and struggles of our town as a whole. “It’s becoming a movement,” shares Kathy, and this is one movement that hopefully continues well into the future.
