This is the kind of story that gets a lot of mileage (Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe, Indy Star, USA Today, for goodness sake) because it has a cute hook and a memorable line that the person quoted probably regretted uttering the minute she saw it in print. ("I'm not running a squirrel condominium here," attributed to library director Judy Hamilton.) But if you look at what's really going on, it's about a public institution trying to deal as best it can with a difficult employee. Someone who "operates a shelter" and spends so much time worrying about squirrels and birds is not someone who is paying attention to the job she was hired to do.
Full disclosure: I lived in Michigan City for eight years and know director Hamilton well. She's a no-nonsense boss who expects her empolyees to give their best, but she's also quite passionate about libraries and the mission they have. It's OK to have an obsession if it's the right one in the right place.
