Dewey is a legend among library cats. In the world of library cats he reigns as the all-time champ because of the special characteristics that set him apart from all others. He consistently greeted every patron. He seemed to understand the needs and emotional state of everyone who came in, so he comforted the ones who needed his attention, and he stayed away from the ones who could not relate to him well.
Dewey arrived as a cast off someone threw into the Spencer, IA Public Library bookdrop on the coldest day of the year in January 1988. He was probably 2 months old and half frozen. Vicki Myron, Spencer Public Library Librarian, and her staff, nursed him back to health and gave him a home. For 19 years the regal Mr. Dewey reigned over the Spencer Public Library. He became a fixture not only of the library, but a symbol of the determination and will of the whole community. He became famous world-wide. Film companies from as far away as Japan came to tell his story.
When Dewey was felled by a tumor at age 19 the library received thousands of messages of sympathy from all over the world.
The book documents a remarkable series of stories about the life and times of Dewey the cat and his role within the community. While the book is about the cat, it also documents the relationship between a beloved pet and his caretaker, and her relationship with the community and her family.
It is a heartwarming, charming story in the tradition of "Marley and Me" (which I saw in the movie theater this weekend.) I highly recommend it to all cat lovers and library lovers.
Liz Nichols
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