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Dewey the library cat is back on the shelves
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by CJaye | September 28, 2008 at 05:54 am
1815 views | 14 Recommendations | 11 comments
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SPENCER, Iowa — Driving into this county seat of 11,000 people, the first thing a visitor sees is the white water tower that dominates the landscape. The town's name is up there. So are two huge paws.The tiger paws are for the mascot of Spencer High School's athletic teams. They could also be for a cat named Dewey, a local legend.
Abandoned as a kitten in the Spencer Public Library's book-return box one January night in 1988, Dewey was adopted by librarians and named by the town in a write-in contest. He lived happily ever after at the library, sleeping in the stacks (he liked Westerns), riding the book cart, leaping from fluorescent light fixtures and sitting on patrons' laps.
His remains are now buried to the right of the library's front door, marked with a plaque that reads "In Loving Memory of Dewey Readmore Books: World Famous Library Cat." When he died in 2006, his obituary appeared in hundreds of newspapers.
Link to full story: http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/...
Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (11)
at 06:04 on September 28th, 2008
CJaye, I like this story. It's good stuff. Persian cats are the readers best friend. They like to sit, or should I say "breed" on books and journals, seems they read inside. My cat used to select the papers she wanted me to read. I had to read the selection, the cat was happy.
at 06:46 on September 28th, 2008
I watched this story this morning on CBS he was so smart and very cute. I have 2 cats but only one likes to lay on my papers and books but only because he wants my attention. Thank you for the flag and comment SOLARLIFE.
at 06:16 on September 28th, 2008
Cats and libraries go together like... well, they just go really well together.
at 10:55 on September 28th, 2008
THIS CAT DID & YES THEY DO
at 07:32 on September 28th, 2008
CJaye, I like this story. It's good stuff.
at 07:57 on September 28th, 2008
thank you Barry
at 11:17 on September 28th, 2008
One of my favorite antiquarian book stores has a very large Cheshire cat which wonders the window display, often knocking down books. The store would not seem "right" without him.
at 11:55 on September 28th, 2008
Thank you for the comment & Flag, nice story about the cat very cute.
at 17:31 on October 20th, 2008
CJaye, I like this story. It's good stuff.
at 06:45 on October 21st, 2008
Thank you Rhonda for flag and comment
at 02:40 on October 29th, 2008
I ran across this book by chance at Target recently It caught my eye because I'm a cal lover and a red cat lover. I had never heard of Dewey before this. This book drove me to tears repeatedly--and I'm a grown man of 50. I think Dewey's spirit still watches over the library visitors and his caretaker, and will do so until she passes over and he greets her on the other side just as he did every morning at the library. Not all guardian angels are human in appearance.
I also had a red cat some 18 years ago who was my guardian and best friend. When he passed at age 13 back in '03 I was devastated. But I went back to the Humane Society and saved another red kitten, who is now Vincent the Second. And this one is almost a carbon-copy personality to the first one. Very unique. We have several other cats now for earlier ones that have passed on. Each one of them has shown certain characteristics unique to certain earlier cats and no others. My brother and I are convinced that these current ones are the reincarnations of earlier beloved feline friends. We say that the cat goddess Bast sent them back to us to continue guarding us until we pass over. I think Dewey was one just like ours.It's great to find such a wonderful story about a very special animal friend. I hope there's many more to come!