The Worcester Public Library in Massachusetts has started the cutest initiative to get folks back into the library. March Meowness is a month-long event where patrons can clear their fines by visiting the library with any image of a cat. This includes honorary cats too like dogs, raccoons, orcas, capybaras, or any other animal.
“Even if you don’t have a cat in your life, you can still draw one,” said Jason Homer, Executive Director. “Even if it’s one of the big cats, like a tiger or a lion, and we’ll be excited to see those.”
While once vibrant public spaces, the pandemic hit library attendance hard across the nation. Worcester hopes this initiative will bring people back to their seven locations, despite fees and fines that may have suspended people’s accounts.
“We at the Worcester Public Library are always looking for ways to reduce barriers,” Homer explains. “We know that a lot of people, unfortunately, through being displaced in housing, or life getting in the way in the global pandemic, lost a lot of materials.”
Even though the staff has run programs like this in the past, they hope the more creative approach has a wider reach. “We librarians love our cats,” says Homer. “We’re really leaning in on the fact that, all in all, librarians are cat people. … So we thought, let’s lean in on the joke, let’s be part of the joke, and let’s have fun together.”
However, there are a few guidelines for those looking to have their cards unfrozen.
Guidelines:
- Items must be Worcester Public Library-owned, they cannot forgive fees to libraries outside of their system.
- Items waived must be lost for at least 2 months or longer
- All Library of Things items are excluded
- Items are not guaranteed to be waived, and forgiveness will be given at the discretion of library staff
- Accounts with 5 or more items will need to be reviewed by a manager of Circulation, and patrons will receive a response as soon as possible
- You are not eligible for forgiveness if your lost or damaged items can be viewed as an attempt to restrict access to diverse content
- Account holders must be present
As an extra incentive, the Worcester Public Library is also offering several fun, cat-themed, events this month.
March Meowness Activities:
- March 12 from 6 to 8 PM – After Dinner Craft: Stained Glass Cat. For ages 12-17.
- March 13 from 4 to 5 PM – Crafternoon, create a Black Cat Door Hanger. For children ages 6 and up.
- March 19 from 5 to 6 PM – The Cat’s Pajamas Storytime, for children aged 3-7.
- March 20 from 4 to 5 PM – Crafternoon, design a Cat Puppet Theater. For children ages 6 and up.
- March 22 from 4 to 5 PM – The Cat’s Pajamas Storytime, for children aged 3-7.
- March 23 from 3 to 4 PM – Understanding Your Cat with Dr. Rachel Gellar
- March 30 from 1 to 2:30 PM – Leopard Canvas Painting with Pop Up Art School. For ages 8-11.
And all month long they are running a Cat’s Meow Scavenger Hunt at the Burncoat, Goddard, Roosevelt, and Tatnuck Branches for children ages 6 and up.
For more information on March Meowness, you can check out the Worcester Public Library’s website or Facebook page. [Their Facebook profile is currently flooded with pictures of cute animals if you need some extra dopamine today.]
