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The program allows anyone with an overdue charge or lost or damaged book to have their fees forgiven if they bring a photo of a cat to one of the system's libraries. Any cat. Your cat. Feline photo from the internet. A drawing of a cuddly kitty would also count.
Librarians wanted people who may have lost a book or item and forgotten to return it during the pandemic to be able to return to one of the branches without worry.
Jason Homer, executive director of the Worcester Public Library, said library staff came up with the idea and brought it to him. They hoped to get a few dozen photos from people who wanted to fix their library cards, but what they got was a torrent of pictures — more than 800.
Homer said he didn't know how much in fees were forgiven, but that was never really the point. It was about removing barriers for people to go to a library branch while drumming up some publicity for the programs they offer.
"If you want to learn a new skill, we may have a class on that," Homer said. "Sewing, for instance, we have a class on that. You can even check out sewing machines. ... We have drum kits. It's a lot more than books."
Many of their events during March were cat-themed as well. That includes the leopard painting pop-up art school on Saturday, March 30, from 1 until 2:30 p.m. at the main library branch.
Homer said there was a beautiful side effect to the March Meowness program. People sent in photos of their cats with notes attached on how they got their names or shared stories about past pets who'd died.
"They wrote letters about loneliness and what their pets meant to them and how they were affected by this — and some of these letters were coming from the other side of the world," Home said.
Homer said other libraries have reached out about copying the program and the Worcester Public Library has plans for other promotions like this in the future.
Click here for more information on March Meowness. Anyone who wants to take advantage of the program has until April 1.
Click here for more information on the Worcester Public Library and its programs.
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