March Meowness takes scratch out of fees at Worcester Public Library
WORCESTER — Saying the internet loves cats is like saying the sky is blue. It’s impossible to browse social media for any length of time without coming across at least one feline image.
The Worcester Public Library’s Instagram page is certainly no exception, regularly sharing petcentric memes with a heavy emphasis on cats.
During March, the library will be taking its love of cat pictures beyond the internet and are asking patrons to join in on the fun with March Meowness. During this time, visitors will have the chance to have fees for lost or damaged items on their account forgiven in exchange for showing staff a picture of a cat.
“We know there are kids who never got that book from their desks in March 2020, thinking they would be back in a week or two,” said Executive Director Jason Homer. “We don’t want that to be a barrier.”
The offer is not limited to children or even cat owners. The picture in question can be of any cat — photographed or hand-drawn.
Homer makes no secret of the library staff’s love of cats. “We hate to be a stereotype but most librarians at the Worcester Public Library are cat people,” he said. Their feline appreciation goes beyond internet memes. Last year, the Worcester Animal Rescue League brought several shelter therapy cats in for a staff mental health break. Almost all were adopted due to that visit.
"We thought we would just play into it and have fun," said Homer, as a way to negate any potential embarrassment a patron may feel about coming to the library after losing an item. "We don’t want you to be embarrassed but we do want you to come back to the library," he said. That last point was driven home with the clarification that the cat picture doesn't even need to necessarily be a cat, to ensure there truly are no barriers.
"If your dog loves to hang out and is sometimes a little moody, then bring a picture of your dog, maybe he’s a cat on the inside," he said.
There are still some parameters. Items must be owned by the Worcester Public Library, as fees from other libraries cannot be waived. The item fee must also be at least two months old and cannot be from the Library of Things.
Account holders will also not be eligible for forgiveness if the lost or damaged items can be viewed as an attempt to restrict access to diverse content.
March Meowness is more than fee forgiveness and will include a number of cat-themed events and programs throughout the month, including the return of cats from the Worcester Animal Rescue League to help visitors relax as well as arts and crafts activities. The Main Library will have a kick-off event from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 2. For a full list of events, visit the Worcester Public Library website.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Worcester Public Library March Meowness cancels fees via car pictures
