Bear Wanders Into California Library on Winnie-the-Pooh’s 100th Birthday

A black bear wandered into a library in Mammoth Lakes before opening hours on the very day Winnie-the-Pooh turned 100.

Footage released by Mono County Free Libraries shows the bear inside the Mammoth Lakes branch on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, the 100th anniversary of A.A. Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh. According to Director of Libraries Josef Bopp, the bear got in at about 6:10 a.m., well before the library opened at 10 a.m.

In a playful post, the library said the bear raided the staff snack supply and, “in a tribute no one asked for, went straight for the honey.” It then took a tour of the library, checking out the new releases and the reference desk before letting itself out. No damage was reported, and no books were harmed.

“While we love an enthusiastic patron, and we understand the excitement of the centennial, we do remind patrons- and perhaps more importantly our bears- that snacks are not part of the circulating collection,” Bopp said.

On a serious note, the library reminded residents and visitors that local bears are wild and urged them to keep a safe distance, never feed bears and use bear-resistant trash containers.