MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Memphis Public Library program lets kids cuddle up with a therapy dog while reading their favorite book and for many kids, it’s their only one-on-one reading time.

Lovie is an 8-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Nobody gets too far in the Benjamin Hooks Central Library without a little love from Lovie.

“When we come in the library everyone goes, ‘Hey Lovie,'” said her mom, Juana McCoy.

McCoy says nowadays she’s just Lovie’s leash holder, but it was six years ago when she realized that people’s attraction to Lovie could actually turn the page on a real issue.

“They’re reading, they’re learning, they’re working on skills, but they don’t really realize it because they’re having fun,” she said.

Every week they make their rounds to branches across Memphis.

“This is it’s a literacy program. And Memphis has a real literacy problem. You know, our third graders virtually flunk. So that’s our future,” McCoy said.

When Lovie isn’t improving literacy, she’s bringing on a smile.

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“Scientifically there is medically a reason why a therapy dog has a calming and soothing effect on a person,” McCoy said. “So serotonin and dopamine are calming brain chemicals, and they emit that. And then cortisol is the stress hormone. So when you have the calm hormones and the anti stress hormones being emitted at the same time, you’re kind of calm, but you don’t know why.”

Her work most recently landed the duo as employee of the month for the City of Memphis.

“She’s an important little girl for a lot of the demographics around here from the public to children to staff. I think she contributes quite a bit,” McCoy said.

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