Programming Librarian » Blog » 2012 » October » Get into the Spirit of the Season

haunted house

haunted house

Trostle

Get into the Spirit of the Season

Angela Hanshaw | October 11, 2012

It’s that time of year again, when things get a little … spooky. Hunting for something a little different? Check out these supernatural programs designed to inform, fright, and delight.

The New Bern-Craven County Public Library will host a program by the Haunted and Supernatural Enlightenment Research Society of Jacksonville, whose speakers will answer the questions, “Do ghosts and spirits exist? How do we find them?”

The North Carroll branch of the Carroll County Public Library will be hosting two programs ton ghosts during October. “Ghost Hunting!” will be presented by the Greater Maryland Paranormal Society, who will talk to the audience about some of their cases, what they do, and how the team works together as well as give a demonstration of the equipment they use. In “Civil War Trivia, Legends and Ghost Stories,” author and storyteller Ed Okonowicz will offer a mix of trivia, legends, and ghost stories, all relating to the Civil War.

West Virginia storyteller Granny Sue will share ghost stories and ballads from the Appalachians at the Morgantown Public Library. The program will include light refreshments, and children will leave with a ghost-to-go craft.

Barb Huyser, ghost hunter and author of Small Town Ghosts: A Ghost Hunter’s Casebook of Paranormal Theories & Investigations, will present a program on the science of paranormal investigation at Kewanee Public Library, focusing on activity in two local counties.

The Hailey Public Library will host a return visit by the International Paranormal Reporting Group. Last year, the group shared stories of the real (and fake) hauntings they had investigated in a program held in the former city morgue.

The Chattanooga Public Library had a paranormal team investigate their own ghost, Eugene. After spending three months analyzing data, the team presented their findings in a program open to the public.

The Virgil I. Grissom Library hosted “Ghost Hunting 101.” Central Virginia Paranormal Investigations provided information on getting started, organizing a team, avoiding legal issues, finding the history of a location, and more.

Want help planning your own ghost story hour? The Idaho Commission for Libraries offers a guide (PDF) that collect program ideas for children through teens, including story suggestions, activity ideas, and tips and anecdotes.

Finally, watch storyteller Brad Foster tell campsite ghost stories at Bradford County Public Library:

Angela Hanshaw is Program Officer/Web Editor for the ALA Public Programs Office.

Tags:

Share Your Thoughts


Posted by Katie Hutchison on Tuesday, October 23, 2012, at 11:01 AM
Janet, I live in Akron and I saw that article. At first, I was annoyed that someone would protest a program like that- it seemed like they hadn't looked into it very deeply (much like when people try to remove books from library shelves and have never read the book)... but then I thought- hey, great publicity! I wouldn't have heard about it otherwise.

I know Akron Public is doing a ghost hunting program on Oct. 24. Haven't heard if there have been any complaints there. Hope not!
Posted by ProgrammingLibrarian on Monday, October 22, 2012, at 01:11 PM
Janet, I'm so sorry to read that! But I'm glad your programs did go smoothly in the end. Did the newspaper articles change your programming plans in any way, such as how you promoted them?
Posted by Janet Griffing on Monday, October 22, 2012, at 12:52 PM
It would be interesting to know if any of these libraries received complaints about their programs the way the Medina County District Library (Ohio) did. Two local papers had front-page, above-the-fold articles about local ministers and others protesting "evil" programs using tax dollars. The programs went off without a hitch (or an in-person protest), but I suspect it will make other area libraries think twice about this kind of programming. Sometimes the public makes me weary.