A "Tall" Tale of the Library Giraffe

Recently, the world has been focused on April the Giraffe; a giraffe at a zoo in New York who just gave birth to a baby giraffe.  Did you know that the Worcester Public Library has a giraffe of its very own?  We do! The library's children's room is home to Cecily G the giraffe.

Cecily G, made by the German company Steiff, first came to the library in 1975.  She was originally part of a display in the children's department of the Filene's in the now-defunct Worcester Galleria Mall according to a Worcester Telegram article.  When the store was looking to sell the giraffe, the library purchased her and named her Cecily G after the title character in the H.A. Rey book Cecily G and the 9 Monkeys.

While Cecily G was much-beloved by children, eventually she became so worn out due to years of attention, that the library was forced to place her in storage.  Eventually however, thanks to a generous donation, Cecily was sent to a stuffed animal restoration expert in Virginia and repaired.  In 2007 she returned to a place of pride in the children's room; her very own giraffe savanna.

While it might sound like a "tall" tale, Cecily the giraffe is just another example of the amazing things that you can find at the Worcester Public Library.  The next time you visit the library, stop by and say hello to Cecily G.