Don’t let charges hold you away from the library subsequent month. You can keep away from them due to a brand new initiative from just a few self-proclaimed “cat individuals.”
All subsequent month, patrons can clear their broken or misplaced library fines by visiting the library with a picture of a cat. Any cat.
It’s a part of a by no means be-fur tried initiative on the library known as “March Meowness.”
“Even if you do not have a cat in your life, you may nonetheless draw one,” mentioned library Executive Director Jason Homer. “Even if it is one of many huge cats, like a tiger or a lion, and we’ll be excited to see these.”
The library created the monthlong program in an effort to convey individuals again to the library system’s seven places, no matter whether or not they have charges beneath their account.
“We on the Worcester Public Library are all the time searching for methods to scale back limitations,” Homer mentioned. “We know that lots of people, sadly, by means of being displaced in housing, or life getting in the best way within the world pandemic, misplaced plenty of supplies.” The library has performed fee-forgiveness packages previously, however Homer mentioned the employees wished to attempt a brand new, extra inventive method.
In addition to charge forgiveness, the library’s March calendar is plagued by different cat-themed programming. There’s a cat eye make-up tutorial (for people, not cats), a lecture from a licensed cat behaviorist, an occasion to de-stress with cats from the Worcester Animal Rescue League and extra.
Homer mentioned the neighborhood’s response has him feline good.
“We librarians love our cats,” he mentioned. “We’re actually leaning in on the truth that, all in all, librarians are cat individuals. … So we thought, let’s lean in on the joke, let’s be a part of the joke, and let’s have enjoyable collectively.”
In 2020, the library system introduced that it will not cost late fines, however the library system nonetheless collects charges for misplaced or broken books.
The program is a component of a bigger development of libraries to scale back and take away charges. In Massachusetts, 313 of the state’s 367 public libraries in Massachusetts are fine-free, based on the Massachusetts Libraries Board of Library Commissioners.
