M. Shelley

On May 17, 2022 we welcomed a new member to our library staff: M. Shelley, Library Tortoise! Since then, she has not only captured the hearts of everyone who works here, but many of our patrons, and thanks to a local news story, even some people from all over the world.

Named after Frankenstein author Mary Shelley, our little Shelley isn’t much known for her writing skills. She’s very good at napping, though, and really loves bananas. Shelley is a red-footed tortoise, which is a species of tortoise native to the Amazon rainforest. Red-footed tortoises have a lifespan in captivity of anywhere from 30 to 50 years, and usually average about 1 foot (~30 cm) long, sometimes can reach lengths of between 15 and 16 inches (~40 cm).

If you come into the library, you will get to meet Shelley. Her terrarium is right behind the main circulation desk. You could even pick up some M. Shelley merch for yourself. We have stickers and buttons, and sometimes we even have a limited supply of T-shirts!