Info Metropolitan Library System Magazinen info METROPOLITAN LIBRARY SYSTEM magazine n August 2009
August 2009. 636.7/D858t on shelf
The ancient Romans called these the caniculares dies, the “days of the dogs,” referring to those weeks of late summer when Sirius, the dog star--the second brightest one after the sun itself—rose at or near sunrise. It’s August and the dog days of summer are nipping at our heels, but what’s really hot this summer are the things that are happening at your neighborhood Metropolitan Library System library. In this issue we’ve got an article about some computer instruction classes you can sign up for at three different libraries, andanother article on the resounding success of our downloadable audio books. Cool your puppies with a trip to the library for a basketful of good books, DVDs, and audio materials. We won’t send you barking up the wrong tree.Looking for something different to read, watch, or listen to? Check out the books, DVDs, and CDs that caught our reviewers’attention this month.
Tales From a Dog Catcher
by Lisa Duffy-Korpics
Reviewed by Phyllis Davidson
Having good writing skills isn’t a prerequisite for getting a job as a dog catcher, but the two certainly make a good combination for the author of Tales From a Dog Catcher.
She worked as an animal control officer for four years and has preserved 22 of her most interesting and moving memories from that time. Most of the stories begin with a call to go check on an animal’s welfare or to resolve a complaint. More often than not, they turn their focus on the people who love the animal, hate the animal, or neglect the animal. One is an elderly lady with dementia who knows exactly how many cats she has—which is about twenty more than she can afford to feed. One is a woman who complains that two voyeuristic raccoons watch her undressing through the window in her bedroom—closing her curtains isn’t an option. Another is a woman who thinks the black dog that appears in her backyard is the reincarnation of her late husband. One of my favorites is the episode in which the author was invited to give a presentation at a school. That visit convinced her to choose teaching as a profession. Some stories are funny--some may move you to tears. I may be barking up the wrong tree, but I think they will appeal to animal lovers, and even those who don’t care for pets will enjoy reading about the eccentric people involved in these tales from a dog catcher.
-Phyllis Davidson is a reference librarian at the Downtown
Library. She is the editor of a family newsletter, teaches geneal-
ogy classes to customers at the library, and delves into her own
family history outside the Library walls.
INFO is the official magazine of the Metropolitan Library System of Oklahoma County, info, is published monthly by MLS Marketing & Communications, 300 Park Avenue, Oklahoma City OK 73102.
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