Eviction of cat will stand in Dewey

(DEWEY) - Jane is out for good as the library cat in Dewey. <br><br>Officials removed Jane last week because patrons who allergic to cats weren't able to use the library as long as she remained. <br><br>That

Wednesday, March 20th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(DEWEY) - Jane is out for good as the library cat in Dewey.

Officials removed Jane last week because patrons who allergic to cats weren't able to use the library as long as she remained.

That prompted protests from cat lovers, but the City Council voted Monday to uphold the eviction.

Librarian Sandy Hadley said many patrons miss Jane, who had become a familiar presence during five years roaming among the books.

``A lot of people would stop by just to see her,'' said Hadley, with whom Jane is now living. ``We had people who would come in and say they heard we had a library cat and just wanted to see.''

Jane is said to be the last known library cat in Oklahoma. Only 384 such cats remain nationwide, although only 11 are permanent residents, according to a Web site operated by filmmaker Gary Roma.

Roma brought his ``Puss in Books - Adventures of the Library Cat'' show to Bartlesville on Monday. His Web site includes a library cat map and organization.

Jane and her brother, Austen, came to live among the Dewey books in 1997. They were stray cats who were rescued and transformed into official library cats.

``I figured she would be able to just live her life out here, and then, when she died, we just wouldn't get another cat probably,'' Hadley said.

Hadley said she learned shortly after becoming head librarian three months ago that Jane's days as a library cat were numbered.

``I won't say anything against the city,'' she said. ``They said we are a public facility and people who were allergic to cats were not able to come in the library anymore.

``I'm pretty much - whatever comes of it - I'm OK. If she were able to come back to the library, that's OK, and if she stays at my house, that's OK, too.''

Although Jane seems to be adjusting to her new quarters, some things are clearly a little hard for her to understand.

``I think she is wondering why we all are still up at 5:30 (p.m.) instead of going to bed,'' Hadley said in reference to the library's closing time.