SUSAN LOESCH

CATS IN THE STACKS

End of Course exams and the Jr./Sr. Prom…what a week here! The result was lots of extra kids in the library, lots of attention for the library cats, and me finding my new best friends…the Rugrats!

Barney was here on prom day. The seniors were not really interested in their teachers’ assignments, and who can blame them? Barney got lots of petting from kiddos who had been in elementary school when Footsie first arrived on the scene and had grown up with him.

Mary put Footsie’s pink bandana on Barney. “Thank you for being a real man and wearing pink, she told him! None of the guys here will wear pink.” (more…)

SUSAN LOESCH

CATS IN THE STACKS

Barney was on the job first thing this morning and he has kept busy all day. After all, he has a lot to learn about being a library cat even if he does sport the title “Acting Head Library Cat!”

When he is ready for a break he heads to the stacks for a snooze, much like Alex did last fall when he first took over the job. It wasn’t long, though, before Alex was hanging out with us all day, and I imagine it will work the same with Barney.

He has already discovered Big Footsie’s prized green frog, with the bald spots Footsie created over the years by “kneading” the frog’s head. (more…)

SUSAN LOESCH
CATS IN THE STACKS

Our new oil portrait of Big Footsie continues to bring smiles to us all. One of my 6th graders looked at it for a long time and then said, “It looks like Footsie is looking right at me and sees me doing something wrong and is thinking ‘I’m gonna tell!’” We laughed about that.

Some of my secondary kids walk past the portrait on the front desk and tell Footsie hello.

My 4th graders crowded ’round and talked to Big Footsie and actually petted the painting. Then they wanted to have their picture taken with it. (more…)