As you know, I have a soft spot in my heart for working cats (since I am one myself), and especially for library cats. So did Sparkle. Back in 2008, my human went to Book Expo America, the largest annual book trade fair in the U.S., and she came home with this bag with two mysterious cats on it.
Sparkle immediately made herself at home. At the time, neither she nor my human knew who these cats were, or why they were representing the huge book distributor Baker and Taylor. Eventually my human found out that they were library cats that lived at the Minden branch of the Douglas County Library in Nevada during the 1980s and 1990s, and they were named after the company. But for years, that’s really all she knew. She kind of wished somebody would do a book on these two Scottish Fold cats, and how they came to be involved with Baker and Taylor. And then…
Somebody did write a book! More specifically, Jan Louch, the librarian responsible (along with fellow librarian Yvonne Saddler) for bringing the cats into the Minden library, naming them after the company, and caring for them throughout their lives.
Baker and Taylor poster from the 1980s
Courtesy Baker and Taylor, LLC
The True Tails of Baker and Taylor is the story of Baker and Taylor, the cats, and the magic they brought not only to their own library, but to libraries and cat lovers throughout the world. It is also the story of a library in a small, rural western town, where cats mostly lived in barns and few people had ever seen any fancy breed cats. While nowadays, library cats are more likely to be rescues, back in the 1980s, Jan and Yvonne happened on the perfect breed for the job. Scottish Folds are sweet, docile cats. They have easy going natures and enjoy human company. The library hadn’t been looking for cat employees — Jan and Yvonne, both cat lovers, just decided one day that the library should have a pair, and they set out to make that happen. When Baker and Taylor (the company) discovered that the two librarians had Baker, but hadn’t saved up enough for a Taylor (they were paying for the cats out of their own pocket), they offered to pay for the second cat. They also put the cats on posters and merchandise, which were instant hits among librarians everywhere. Not only did the Minden library’s popularity increase among the town’s residents, it became a popular place for tourists, who wanted to see Baker and Taylor in person… in catson? I can never figure out the right way to say that.
While most of the book is fun and heartwarming, it’s not without its tears… we kitties don’t live forever. One of the nice, but bittersweet surprises was that there were several interviews with library cats in the book, and the very first one was with our old pal, Tober, the Thornton, Indiana library cat who passed away last November.
I think that if you love cats and books (and libraries!), you will love The True Stories of Baker and Taylor… and I have a copy to give away! It’s a U.S. only giveaway, but if you live somewhere else in the world, you are welcome to enter and have the book sent to a friend who lives in the U.S. You can enter using the Rafflecopter widget below — good luck!
Disclosure: The Amazon link to The True Stories of Baker and Taylor is an Associates link, and I will get a small commission if the book is purchased through it.
See all of Summer’s merch at her Designercat Shop, available on Zazzle.
That would be a pawsome book to have…wow, your Humom sure meets some neato peeps and kitties:)
What a great story! Before the Human started teaching, she worked in a university library and they had a cat named Steve who lived in the circulation department and greeted everyone from his perch on the counter. But then an employee ‘dopted him and so they didn’t have a library cat anymore.
And say, we don’t think we commented yesterday, but that was SUCH an interesting post about the judging yesterday. The Human wished she had known all that when she watched you in your show up here!
Baker and Taylor’s book sounds wonderful!
Our male human used to be the PR manager for Book Expo America way back in the day.
We wish we had library cats here. Thanks for the review, Summer!
P.S. We’re rotating now, so Miss C’s day will vary. Maybe tomorrow, if she plays her treats right!
My mom wish she moves in U.S.A. instead…MOL
Great reviews, Miss Summer !
Mom put on her list now
=^x^=
That could be a fun read. The first full-length book about a cat that I ever read was “Dewey the Library Cat.”
Those are nice looking cats. I’ll bet the book was inneresting.
very cool! the book looks like it will be a great read. Thank you for the review and give away, Summer!
pip, smidgen, minnie, hollie,sharpie, ditto
Sounds like a great book. Thanks for the opportunity.
OMC your human is SO lucky that she has a Baker & Taylor tote!!! The whole time I was reading this book I was wondering how I could get my paws on one!!!
OH I would dearly LOVE to win it.
It is always interesting to read about working cats.
Mum liked this book. She thinks, oddly enough, the passing of both cats was movingly done but what hit her heart was Talyor looking for Baker later on….
We love the photo of Sparkle in the bag!
We read and reviewed that book – it was 5 paws worthy!!!! Everybody should read the book!!
I love Baker & Taylor. We need more working cats.
I loved this book. I will skip the giveaway being that I have one. I am jealous of that bag, it is nicer than the one I have.
This is so neat! We’ve never met any library cats in person before, but it sure would be neat. Baker and Taylor sound like they were a couple of cool cats. We are going to pass on the giveaway because the Mom has a stack of books already she needs to read. It sounds like a great book though, and we will add it to our wish list!
What an absolutely precious book. I’m a cat (and dog) person, and just love collecting books like this. My daughters and I are not only animal lovers, but avid readers. This would be a great addition to our library.
Adore this! Would have loved to have library cats in my high school and college years working in local libraries.
I’m so happy to hear you are a fan of Baker & Taylor. I’d love to bring my kitties to my library but it’s just not possible. You would be a good library cat, I think. Maybe after you retire from being a therapy cat. 🙂
I think every place should have a cat…
We would love to have this book! Especially since our buddy, Angel Tober, was interviewed.
Sounds like an interesting book. Taylor Swift’s Scottish Fold is in my favorite video of hers.
This sounds like a Fascinating Book!!! I would Love to Win it, but even if I don’t, I believe I will check it out of my Library. :o)
Sounds like a book I’d like to read.
I read about this somewhere before and it sounds really lovely book!
Would love to know more about these two beautiful kitties.
Beautiful Cats on the cover of the book!
Like a girl walking by me said at the International Cat Show where I met you, “So many pretty cats!”
Thanks for the tip…. I love libraries, too.
Can’t wait to read it! I love cats and I love libraries. 🙂
I am reading this right now for review and am loving it! I’m going to enter the giveaway, but if I win, I will send my prize to a friend who alos loves cats.
I am not looking forward to the part where they pass away, but I am glad they brought so many people so much joy in their lives.
What a neat story! I loved the Dewey book and I’m sure I’d love this one too.
I love library and bookstore cats, so I think I will love to read this book. Cats and books are perfect together 🙂
Thise two are very, very special!
That looks like a great read. There should be more working cats–they bring joy and love with them! I had an office cat for a year and a half. She had been hanging around the building where I worked and my boss let me rescue her. I finally took her home because she was very old and she lived out the rest of her days with me. She passed in 2003 and I still miss her. Shadow was a big black longhair with huge yellow eyes and totally pawsome!
Bow wow, this is so cool!
This is a book that I definitely wan to read!
I wish my own library would get a cat or two. I would visit it more often if it did. Cats make every place better.
What an interesting story. You don’t see many Scottish Folds around. Mom actually met one at the hospital years ago. And mom loves to read. We don’t like the sad parts but life consists of both happy and sad. We know mom would thoroughly enjoy this book. Even if we don’t win we’ll get catdad to get it for her. We love the picture of Sparkle. She lives on in all of our hearts. Purrs
i don’t know if i can handle the sad part.
That sounds like a great book.
We just won this book in another giveaway. The mom hasn’t started reading it yet, but now she can’t wait.
Oh Summer we are suckers for anything cat related too.
Mom put that on her must read list.
thank you Hugs madi yourbfff
Oh I do want to read that book. Hope we win.
love a book about cats. and in a library? want to read this book
That’s a good idea. Maybe all libraries should have cats live with them.
Meommy loves reading books about kitties, but the teary parts are so hard for her especially as we are now senior kitties of 16.
That does sound like a good book.
After all, it is about cats 🙂
Purrs Georgia and Julie,
Treasure and JJ
That sounds like a very interesting book! It would probably make a good gift.