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THE ESSENTIAL LIBRARIAN Best practices
from a library cat
Best practices from a library cat
James R. Lund
Red Wing Public Library, Red Wing, Minnesota, USA 49
Accepted January 2011
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to encourage substantive personal interaction with public
library patrons.
Design/methodology/approach – The argument for implementing a service model based on
personal interaction is presented.
Findings – By using the story of a library cat, library staff can replicate a similar emotional bond and
loyalty with its patrons.
Originality/value – Affectionate animals can teach us a lot about ourselves and help to improve
service to library patrons.
Keywords Libraries, Information services, Customer services quality
Paper type Viewpoint
Holiday gatherings in Iowa have lost their luster. Not that celebrating in a
grain-elevator basement had any luster to begin with, but our extended family has
quickly undergone a generational shift that has left us on the margin. Subsequently, we
decided to celebrate the holiday season in a warmer climate – Escondido, CA. We also
decided to drive the 4,000 miles with our three primary-school-aged kids; a decision
that was met with contempt by those informed of our plans. Nevertheless, we armed
ourselves with plenty of snacks, DVDs, and e-audio books – one of which was Dewey:
The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World, by Vicki Myron.
As we listened to Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World,
Dewey’s frolics held the kids’ attention as they anticipated the dreaded “death chapter”
that inevitably closes out every pet story. Holding my attention was the emotional
connection Dewey formed with patrons and how his leadership re-cast the value of the
library. Emotional attachments are mysterious and powerful. I have one with the city
of Escondido. Its value to me has little to do with the city itself but resides with a local
graduate school. I attended and then worked for Westminster Seminary a combined six
years. Now, five years after leaving, the school still has a disconcerting hold on me. The
transference of my affection to the city of Escondido negates many of my rational
irritants with barking dogs, disheveled housing, no sidewalks, and clogged residential
streets. Its value is sentimental.
As we drove across Kansas, I pondered Dewey’s influence over library patrons.
From all accounts the Spencer Public Library prior to the arrival of Dewey was a
typical small town library, valued for all of the conventional reasons. Once Dewey The Bottom Line: Managing Library
arrives, the character of the library is transformed and begins to experience an Finances
Vol. 24 No. 1, 2011
immediate increase in prestige and effectiveness. Its enhanced value to the public is pp. 49-50
expressed in stories about the difference Dewey’s presence made in the lives of patrons: q Emerald Group Publishing Limited
0888-045X
how Dewey won support for a major library renovation, how Dewey elevated town DOI 10.1108/08880451111142060

2. BL pride, how Dewey helped calm children, how Dewey assisted the disabled. Certainly,
Ms Myron could never have anticipated the power of this alley-cat when she found him
24,1 freezing in the book drop. But she recognized, along with her staff and the library
board, they were now beholden to him. Her success as director was intimately tied to
Dewey’s continued presence in the library and she took the necessary steps to insure
his wellbeing to the ripe old age of 19 - essentially her entire tenure as Director. Dewey
50 died in 2006 and the Spencer Public Library became, once again, a small town typical
public library.
The value of the Spencer Public Library for 19 years was identified with the
affections for a famous feline. Dewey ruled the library by affecting an emotional
response in patrons – kindness, acceptance, friendliness, and trustworthiness among
others. Patrons had a fondness for him that in turn was transferred to the library.
When Dewey died, did those feelings pass away with him? In 2009, the Spencer Public
Library barred pets in residence at the library. In the 108 comments submitted in
reaction to the story “No more pets at Spencer Public Library” only one commenter
hinted that library staff have to create an environment to fill the emotional void left by
Dewey. Granted, this may be a lot to ask of staff, but creating an experience beyond the
common library transaction is possible. Many successful ventures have built a
business model around exceptional service that seeks to create an emotional connection
and brand loyalty with its customers; Starbucks and Ritz-Carleton Hotels come to
mind. Dewey proved how powerful that connection can be to the success of a library.
The staff of the Red Wing Public Library, MN adopted the Starbucks service model
and work consciously to engage patrons on a personal level. All staff, not just those at
the service desks, are trained and expected to engage people personally and often times
to an emotional point. This is a risky proposition for staff! To reveal this side of
yourself to “strangers” brings with it the fear of rejection. But unless it contains the
requisite risks, genuineness will not show forth. Dewey personified this service ethos
for nineteen years. That was, at heart, the power of Dewey Readmore Books.
About the author
James R. Lund is Director of the Red Wing Public Library in Red Wing, Minnesota. He obtained a
MLIS from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and a MA in Theology from Westminster
Seminary, California. He has provided and managed library services in academic, graduate, and
public libraries. James R. Lund can be contacted at: james.lund@ci.red-wing.mn.us
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