In March 1995 the libraries’ Bookmark magazine introduced Pete the Shirley Library cat.
Due to the development of a mall at Shirley, the area around the Shirley Library resembles a bombsite. More than 10 houses have been remove to make way for car parks and a barren wasteland has been created. Out of this turmoil came a small orphaned feline who was in much need of a home and some TLC. He very quickly adopted the library as his home the staff as his family. His name is Pete.
Pete recorded his own story (with a bit of useful book recommendation thrown in)
I’ve really landed on my feet becoming the Library cat – life couldn’t be better. When I first arrived they sent me away for a small operation which I wasn’t too happy about and on my return I found a book called First aid for the cat and this helped in my recovery
At first the staff couldn’t decide what breed of cat I was; I could have told them but being experts they preferred to check me out in a book called All about cats. They found out that I’m a Russian Blue (this noble ancestry comes from my mother’s side) Enough from me for now; please feel free to come and search me out at the library; I just love visitors, especially those bearing edible gifts.
Peter appeared in the February 1998 Bookmark in a story about the Shirley Library fire. Pete “former Staff member” had found a new home with assistant Community Librarian Barbara Reed.
My favourite story about a library cat is not from New Zealand but from the USA, so I am not sure if it qualifies for this blog. It is a very touching story. The name of the cat was Dewey Readmore Books and he touched the lives
of many people and continues to do so after his death. There is some information about him on the following Webpage
Christchurch City Libraries holds the book written about Dewey
Dewey has his own Website …. and his own Facebook page.
Read more about Dewey on the library blog – http://cclblog.wordpress.com/2008/12/01/pet-sounds/