School Picture Day for head library cat!
SUSAN LOESCH
CATS IN THE STACKS
Today was school picture day for everyone on campus, including Alex and even Leta, the pre-school dog.
Rain was pouring down and the photographer was way across campus from the Library.
Every step of the way I could feel my hair frizzing; luckily Alex didn’t seem to have that problem. He was decked out in his Harley-Davidson bandana and, for this occasion, his harness and leash, hidden under his bandana.
We stood in line with our registration cards. Alex’s said “Alex Cat. Teacher.” “Would you like to have the free teacher package, Alex?” the photographer asked. Of course he would! Alex posed perfectly on the same stool the kids sit on – with a little booster seat for height. And then he began to get interested in everything going on around him.
I was on the floor shaking his treats to get his attention and the photographer was waving his feather toy. Alex never moved out of position except that he looked straight…in the opposite direction! He was much more interested in the room and the kids coming in than the camera. The photographer finally got a pretty good shot, thank goodness, because the line behind us was beginning to grow and included our superintendent.
Good job, Alex! Note to myself: next year take Alex over to explore the room the day before. We are all anxiously awaiting Alex’s first school picture as our Arkansas School for the Blind Library Cat.
Susan Loesch has been the librarian at the Arkansas School for the Blind for 35 years and is on the board of Feline Rescue and Rehome. She started the library cat program about 10 years ago after much animal therapy research.
I’m looking forward to Alex’s official photo. He looks good in the unofficial one.
I think it’s awesome that the school fully recognizes that Alex is a real faculty member! Now all you need to do is negotiate his salary.
Can’t wait to see it!
Alex, like all cats, has a lot to teach us humans. So, why not recognize him as “teacher”? However, the negotiation of salary may be a little tricky. I can’t wait to see Alex’s school picture. What a handsome guy he is in his Harley bandana!