We All Need Friends: A History of the Friends of the Worcester Public Library Part 2

The year 2026 marks the 70th anniversary of our beloved Friends of the Worcester Public Library. Since the American Library Association and libraries throughout the country are celebrating National Friends of Libraries Week from October 18 - 24, 2026, we would like to take you back in time and share the history of our very own Friends! As we previously wrote in the first post of this three-part series (see part one here), the Friends aid the library through advocacy, raising money through membership fees and fundraising events, and sponsoring programs and library items that the library's budget does not fund. Today's post will focus on the many ways that the Friends have sponsored library programs, initiatives, and equipment over the years. 

Sponsoring Programs and Initiatives

Enriching the Community through Sponsored Programs

The Friends helped the library by presenting and sponsoring programs for patrons including concerts, lectures, workshops, story times, craft programs, performances (including theatrical performances, jugglers, and puppet shows), and film series on a variety of subjects and interests. For instance, in 1972, the Friends hosted an event featuring six recently published Worcester county authors. 

"Area Writers Discuss Their Books and Jobs." Worcester Telegram, January 17, 1972

During the George Stubbs art controversy, the Friends sponsored a talk on the artist by a librarian of the Royal Academy of Arts in London. Speaking of the Stubbs art controversy, in 1979, the executive board of the Friends unanimously agreed that the library should sell the artwork because the library would be better served by the proceeds of the sale than by the actual drawings.

Advertisement for Lecture on George Stubbs by Constance-Anne Parker, October 23, 1978

With the help of the Friends' donation of an Apple II computer, the Children's Department was able to start a computer club in 1981 for children ages 6 to 12 at the Main Library. Members of the club were be required to train newer members (Worcester Evening Gazette, July 6, 1981).

In 1988, the Friends and the Children's Room co-sponsored an author visit by Lois Lowry! At this point in her career, she was known for her Anastasia series and her award-winning book, Rabble Starkey.

Your Worcester Public Library Newsletter, April 1988

When the Main Library closed for the renovations and decamped to their temporary location on Fremont Street in 1999, the Friends continued to sponsor library programs at the new location.

Worcester Telegram & Gazette, March 2, 2000

As part of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Friends, in 2006 the Friends sponsored a children's author event featuring Shrewsbury author April Jones Prince that was followed by a craft inspired by the art of illustrator Giles Laroche.

"The Write Stuff," Worcester Telegram, September 22, 2006.

In 2007, the Frances Perkins Branch celebrated the fifth anniversary of its You Are the Artist (YATA) summer art exhibit, featuring artwork by local children. The Friends sponsored the framing of the artworks and related costs (Worcester Telegram & Gazette, July 13, 2007).

The Friends continue to sponsor library programs throughout the year, especially ones with paid presenters and instructors. 

Sponsoring Library Initiatives

The Friends would also help fund certain library initiatives, including a 1968 pilot program in which $500 worth of paperback books would be distributed throughout the library in unconventional places such as bars, laundromats, stores, and barber shops to encourage reading. These books would have library markings but there would not be a loan policy or even an requirement to return the books, because the potential increase of new readers and library users would outweigh the cost of these paperback books (Worcester Telegram, October 9, 1968). According to the Friends' Summer 1969 edition of their newsletter, "The first deposits of books are now nearly depleted, and area residents are enjoying easy access books in their homes this summer thanks to the generosity of the Friends."

One of the Locations for the Paperback Book Lending Initiative, Friends Newsletter, Summer 1969

Most recently, the Friends took part in the library's Library Card Sign-Up Month in September 2026. For every new Worcester Public Library card issued, the Friends donated $1 to support the Worcester Animal Rescue League (up to $1,000). Plus: each new library card holder received a coupon for $2 off the Friends Bookstore (more about the bookstore in our next blog post in this series).

Flyer for WPL's Library Card Sign-Up Month, September 2026

Contests!

Who doesn't want to enter contests to win prizes? In addition to sponsoring programs and initiatives to support reading, the Friends sponsored essay writing contests like the 1971 "What a Book Means to Me" contest below.

Essay Contest Winners, Worcester Telegram, May 7, 1971

The Friends also offered bookmark design contests, including a summer bookmark contest on the theme of "friendship and the significance of books in a young person's life" for ages 5-16 in 1973 (Worcester Sunday Telegram, June 17, 1973). The winners were featured at the Friends Book Festival held that September. Another bookmark contest was held in 1976 on the theme of "Reading is..." and gift certificates for books were awarded to the winners.

Some of the Winning Bookmarks circa 1973

Bookmark Contest Winners, Friends of the Worcester Public Library Newsletter, November 1973

In 1977, the Friends sponsored a bookplate design contest for books in the children's room collection and two students from Chandler Junior High School won. Later that year, the Friends sponsored an amateur photography contest, where contestants could use "nonadjustable, instant-type" cameras to compete in the black and white or color categories. However, since only one person entered for the black and white category, no prizes were awarded for that category.

The Friends sponsored a contest that began in connection with the eighth annual book festival in the fall of 1980. The "Great Give a Hoot Contest" was intended to name the two library owl statues that still perch on the walls of the Main Library. The library awarded prizes to winners of three age groups, as well as a special prize to one winner. Fourteen-year-old Patrick Holland won the special prize with the names "Whooo" and "Whoom." Each of the three age group winners won a $20 gift certificate for books, and Patrick also won a framed print of an Albrecht Durer drawing of an owl. We've previously written about the contest and the owls in one of our blog posts. 

Application Form for The Great Give a Hoot Contest, 1980

"He Gave a Hoot - And Won," Worcester Evening Gazette, November 8, 1980

A more recent contest sponsored by the Friends was a "Toast to the Worcester Public Library" essay writing contest in 2005, where contestants wrote about why they love their library in 25 words or less. Six winners from each of the three library branches (Main, Frances Perkins Branch, and Great Brook Valley Branch) won a loaf of bread baked by Mrs. Mack's Bakery.

In honor of the 50th anniversary of the Friends in 2006, the Friends announced a bookmark design contest for middle schoolers as part of a year-long celebration of the organization. The winner received a gift certificate and their design was printed on bookmarks.

The Nickelsen Murals

As we mentioned in a previous blog post, the Friends were instrumental in raising the $1200 needed to bring Ralf Nickelsen's WPA murals to the Worcester Public Library where they were hung after being restored in 1972. The three panels are still on the walls of the Main Library today.

"Farming in the Worcester Region" by Ralf Nickelsen

The Banx Room and Al Banx Day

Several years after beloved Worcester cartoonist James Albert Banks, more commonly known in the world of comics and the Worcester newspapers as "Al Banx," died in 1967, the Friends advocated to name the Worcester Public Library's Conference Room A the Al Banx Room. They also created a committee to plan a day that would honor the late cartoonist. In February 1974, the library board voted on the proposal by the Friends to rename the conference room and to exhibit some of the original Banx cartoons. The tribute to Al Banx on April 27, 1964, featured slide presentations of some of the Banx cartoons, recorded comments in tribute to Banx and his works, and of course, the dedication of the newly renamed space. You can read more about Al Banx in our previous blog post.

Al Banx: Everybody's Cartoonist publication printed for Al Banx Day, 1974

Come in - It's Cool, and Other Ways to Make Library Staff and Patrons Happy

In addition to advocating for the library and related reading initiatives, as well as sponsoring programs at the library, the Friends helped make the library a more welcoming experience for its staff and patrons in a variety of ways. For instance: the Friends helped pay for an air conditioner at the Main South branch in 1977, which was installed in the middle of a heatwave. According to the Worcester Telegram, "'Come in - It's Cool' was the timely boast of a sign in the window there" (July 21, 1977). 

In 1978, the Friends sponsored the repainting of the bookmobile and the installation of its public address system (Worcester Evening Gazette, April 15, 1978). Furthermore, in the same year the Friends helped purchase "book bags for delivery of material to nursing homes and jails..., a small refrigerator for staff use, a window fan for the Tatnuck branch, [and] a portable sound system for the children's room" (Worcester Evening Gazette, December 6, 1978). Over the years, the Friends would also fund a piano, a puppet theatre for the children's room, furniture for the Banx and Saxe Rooms (including $16,500 worth of chairs during the 1988 renovation of those two rooms), and more. Below are some of the items that the Friends gifted to the library in the year preceding July 1980, including the purchase of accessibility technology for communicating with Deaf patrons, stuffed animals, cushions for story hour, and plants (Among Friends, July 1980).

Excerpt from "Friendly Gestures: Gifts to the Library from the Friends," Among Friends, July 1980

In honor of the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Friends of the Worcester Public Library, the Friends announced that they would contribute to the renovation and partial replacement of the Saxe Room's sound system. During that anniversary in 1981, the Friends celebrated with piano music, cake, and reminiscences of their history. In that year, the Friends funded the $4,900 air conditioning unit for the newly renovated Tatnuck Branch.

In June 1995, the Friends helped fund a CD-ROM project for children, which at that time was an incredibly exciting technological innovation for all of you readers who aren't sure what a CD-ROM is! The program was designed to encourage reading with interactive books for young readers on CD-ROM as well as provide information from reference sources such as a Grolier multimedia encyclopedia. 

"Library Unveils CD-ROM Program," Worcester Telegram & Gazette, June 17, 1995

A couple of months later, the library announced that the Friends had funded another 13 new computer workstations in the building to the tune of $50,000! These computers would allow patrons to access the internet, do business research, locate people's phone numbers and addresses using the Nynex Fast Track database (basically an upgraded electronic phone book), and even work on their family tree.

Museum Passes

One of the other ways in which the Friends supported the library was that they purchased (and continue to purchase) museum passes for library patrons to borrow. Initially, the Friends acquired passes for the New England Science Center and then the Higgins Armory (Worcester Sunday Telegram, August 1, 1993). As of today's post, the Friends currently make passes available for a dozen Worcester and New England attractions. Our Museum pass page on our website has more information about the current passes. 

The Give and Take Bookshelf

As we mentioned earlier in our post, the Friends were dedicated to encouraging reading, whether or not the readers actually visited the library. A new initiative took place based on the suggestion of one Friends member. Starting in 2012, train and bus riders could grab a free book from "The Give and Take" bookshelf at Union Station, which was stocked with books donated by the Friends as well as books donated by riders. Nicole Apostola came up with the idea after learning about other groups that started similar projects (Worcester Telegram & Gazette, March 19, 2012).  

"Books Keep Commuters' Minds on Track," Worcester Telegram & Gazette, March 19, 2012

Benefiting Library Staff

In 1967 the Friends created a charitable trust to encourage gifts that would fund worthwhile projects such as a scholarship for library staff members who wanted to study Library Science. The first recipient of the $600 scholarship for tuition and books was Leonard A. Lucas, a library aide, who was taking graduate evening classes to get his degree in Library Science (Worcester Sunday Telegram, January 8, 1967).

In Conclusion

So now you know some of the ways in which the Friends have helped the library, its staff, and its patrons but you'll have to check in for the next post where we will share how the Friends raised money to pay for all of these programs and projects!

Sources:

"Banx, Saxe Rooms Rededicated." (1988, October 23). Worcester Sunday Telegram, p. 35A.

"Bookmobile Repair." (1978, April 15). Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 11.

"Bulletin Board." (2000, March 2). Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. B1.

"Contest Winners Announced." (1977, August 10). Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 23..

"Essay Contest Winners." (1971, May 7). Worcester Telegram, p. 17.

"Fletcher Street Teen Wins 'Great Give a Hoot Contest.'" (1980, November 6). Worcester Telegram, p. 37.

Foskett, Jr., S.H. (2012, March 19). "Books Keep Commuters' Minds on Track." Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. A3.

"Friendly Gestures: Gifts to the Library from the Friends." (1980, July). Among Friends, p. 1.

"Friends of Library to Mark 25th Anniversary Tuesday." (1981, March 29). Worcester Sunday Telegram, p. 24A.

"Front to Break Big Heat Wave." (1977, July 21). Worcester Telegram, p. 1.

Gourgouras, J.A. (1978, December 6). "Book People." Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 34.

Griffin, G.B. (1998, February 10). "Library, School Dueling for Dollars." Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. A1.

Hastings, B. (1972, January 17). "Area Writers Discuss Their Books and Jobs." Worcester Telegram, p. 13.

"I Love Library' Theme for Essays." (2005, January 24). Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. B2.

Kalaus, E. (1995, June 17). "Library Unveils CD-ROM Program." Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. A2.

"Library to Begin Computer Club." (1981, July 6). Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 16.

"Library Bookplate Design Winners." (1977, July 8). Worcester Telegram, p. 4E.

"Library Friends Give Scholarship." (1967, January 8). Worcester Sunday Telegram, p. 10C.

"Library Friends List Bookmark Contest." (1973, June 17). Worcester Sunday Telegram, p. D1.

"Library Group Plans Contest for Youths." (1976, March 25). Worcester Telegram, p. 2.

"Library Group Plans Honor for Late T&G Columnist." (1973, December 14). Worcester Telegram, p. 27.

"Library Group Sponsoring Photo Contest." (1977, June 13). Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 14.

"Library Project Wins Approval." (1968, October 9). Worcester Telegram, p. 2.

"Library Room Honors Cartoonist." (1974, February 13). Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 12.

"The Library's Friends." (1956, January 15). Worcester Sunday Telegram, p. A6.

"Library's Friends Celebrate 25th Year." (1981, April 1). Worcester Telegram, p. 13.

McDonald, C. (1995, November 27). "Library Goers Spinning Over Disks. Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. B1.

Monro, J.P. (1977, October 23). "Worcester Review Widens Outlook." Worcester Sunday Telegram, p. 6E.

"Panel Backs Sale of Stubbs Works." (1979, May 1). Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 24.

"Pay Study Planned at Library." (1962, December 6). Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 25.

"Public Library Friends Organized, 80 Attend." (1956, January 12). Worcester Telegram, p. 2.

"Rain or Shine... Tomorrow." (1978, September 15). Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 9.

Sheehan, N. (2007, July 13). "YATA! Shows Kids' Artistic Streak." Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. E1.

Sheehan, N. (2006, September 22). "The Write Stuff." Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. C1.

"6 Students Win Books at Library." (1962, April 14). Worcester Telegram, p. 22

"Stubbs' Art Talk Planned." (1978, October 22). Worcester Sunday Telegram, p. 36A.

Sullivan, K. (2006, January 22). "Worcester Library Friends Make a Difference." Worcester Sunday Telegram, p. B4.

"Tatnuck Library Making a Move." (1981, November 12). Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 17.

Tubert, J. (1980, September 11). "You Can Get Wise with the Owls?" Worcester Telegram, p. 9.

"Worcester Library Showcases Technology." (1995, November 6). Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. B2.

We All Need Friends: A History of the Friends of the Worcester Public Library Part 1

The year 2026 marks the 70th anniversary of our beloved Friends of the Worcester Public Library. Since the American Library Association and libraries throughout the country will be celebrating National Friends of Libraries Week from October 18 - 24, 2026, we would like to take you back in time and share a little history of our very own Friends in this first post of our three-part series.

Friends Promotional Material, circa 1970s

Welcome Friends!

On Wednesday, January 11, 1956, a monumental change came to what was then known as the Worcester Free Public Library: the creation of the Friends of the Worcester Free Public Library (hereafter "the Friends")! Nearly 100 years had passed since the founding of the library and after five years of contemplating the creation of a formal organization in support of the library, some of the former library directors decided that apparently now was the time to officially launch a Friends group. Initially, the first ever meeting was to be held in the lecture hall of the library on Elm Street, but interest in the new Friends group was so great that organizers were forced to move the meeting to Horticultural Hall (now the home of the Museum of Worcester).

"'Friends of the Library' Group to Be Formed," Worcester Sunday Telegram, January 8, 1956

On that day, 80 community members met on the second floor of the Horticultural Hall to determine the goals of the new organization and to elect five former library board directors to nominate a slate of officers to oversee the nascent group. Membership would be open to "all interested persons" and initially membership dues were $1 per person (with inflation, that would be a little more than $12 today). The lofty objectives included supporting the library and its library directors by aiding "in the efficient functioning of the library," advocating for the library to the city government, and providing "an orderly means for using specialized abilities and talents of the members for the solution of library problems" (Worcester Telegram, January 12, 1956, p. 2). 

Over the years, the Friends would have regular monthly and annual meetings, where they would hear from speakers about library trends and problems.  By 1962, the Friends had over 250 members and by 1981, the Friends grew to 550 members from Worcester and the surrounding area. The Friends finally obtained tax-exempt status by Massachusetts and the federal government in March 1979.

Notice of Meeting for the Second Meeting of the Friends, February 16, 1956

An Invitation to Join The Friends of the Worcester Free Public Library, circa 1957

"Nancy Burncoat's Page," Worcester Sunday Telegram, February 28, 1965

So how did the initial goals translate to action? The Friends aided the library through advocacy, raising money through membership fees and fundraising events, and sponsoring programs and library items that the library's budget did not fund. We'll go into a little more detail about each of these actions over the course of our series, starting with advocacy.

Advocacy

We Need a New Library Building!

One of the first tasks of the Friends was to advocate for a new library to replace the Elm Street location. The library had long outgrown the Elm Street space by the time the Friends were founded but it would take years before a new location for a library could be selected, the buildings on the proposed location could be demolished, and then a new library building could be constructed on that site (see our blog post for more information about the urban redevelopment controversy). In a related task, the Friends formed a committee to educate the public on the need for a new library building so that there would be adequate support for this expensive project. According to former Mayor John B. Anderson in honor of the Friends' 50th anniversary, "Those early Friends organized speakers, went to PTA Meetings, mothers' clubs, and legion posts. A petition committee gathered over 10,000 signatures" (Worcester Sunday Telegram, January 22, 2006). Construction on the new building began in 1962 and would take two years.

Attendees of the February 1964 annual meeting of the Friends had the opportunity to take an advance tour of the new library building at 3 Salem Square, which would open to the public in May of that same year. Our Main Library has existed at this location for over 60 years (aside from a brief two year move to Fremont Street for the renovation that completed in 2001).

Worcester Telegram, February 16, 1964

Spreading the News

How can a new organization promote themselves and increase membership? In 1962, the Friends published the first issue of their organization's newsletter. The sporadically published newsletter would inform members about the goings on of the library and the Friends organization. The publications helped share information so that its members could participate in the various activities and calls to action. Furthermore, Friends meetings and events frequently appeared in the local Worcester Telegram and Worcester Evening Gazette newspapers. Finally, the Friends would sometimes initiate mailings to encourage participation. 

First issue of the Friends newsletter, May 1962

Your Library newsletter, Fall 2012

National Library Week and National Book Week

Advocacy for libraries and reading may take many forms. As you may be aware, National Library Week is an annual celebration that began in 1958 by the American Library Association and the American Book Publishers to celebrate and promote library use and the librarians and staff that work in libraries. Therefore, our Friends deemed it necessary to support National Library Week festivities in Worcester for years. For instance, in 1962, the Friends held a book review contest for junior and high school students, where the six winners received books as prizes. 

Worcester Evening Gazette, March 2, 1961

Worcester Evening Gazette, April 7, 1962

"Reviewers Receive Book Prizes," Worcester Telegram, April 14, 1962

Advocating for Library Staff

In addition to advocating for libraries in general, the Friends would advocate for the people who worked at the library. Throughout the years, the Worcester Public Library struggled to staff the library because the underpaid professional librarians would leave the library to seek jobs at other institutions with higher pay. In 1962, head librarian Thurston Taylor wanted to attract and retain library staff to work at Worcester Public Library but it was difficult to recruit staff with the minimum salaries offered by the city. When Taylor advocated for higher salaries, the Friends agreed to fund $1,200 for a pay study that would look into what comparable libraries around the country paid their staff and how their classified their various employees (Worcester Evening Gazette, December 6, 1962). The results of the "Evans Study" would be used in future salary and employee classification discussions with the city.

The Library Wants its Books Back!

In 1982, the library was desperate to get its books back from patrons who kept them out longer than was appropriate. Cue a fun bumper sticker campaign sponsored by the Friends that announced, "Library Books Not Returned are Like Tax Dollars Burned." Pictured below is the Friends president, John Woodbury, with the first female mayor of Worcester, Sara Robertson, with a new bumper sticker for her car!

Bring 'Em Back, Worcester Evening Gazette, October 8, 1982

Advocating for the Library During Budget Cuts

Of course, it was important for the Friends to advocate for the library in good times as well as in times of crisis. The library would be forced to rely more on the generosity of the Friends to make up for things the library's budget couldn't fund in the face of rising budget cuts and the threat of Proposition 2 1/2. The Friends even attempted to stave off the Proposition 2 1/2 budget cuts of 1990 by distributing a petition for the restoration of the library budget, with 5,579 people signing the petition. Alas, all efforts by the Friends and other community members were not enough and most of the library branches were forced to close.

In 1991, the Friends held a Love Our Library rally, where community members joined hands around the library to give the library building a "hug."

"Big Hug for Library," Worcester Telegram & Gazette, June 20, 1991

Advocating for Library Renovations

When the economy and the library partially recovered after the aftermath of the Proposition 2 1/2 cuts, in 1997 the Friends conducted a survey on the proposed expansion and renovation of the Main Library. A couple of months later, the Friends advocated for the city to borrow money to fund part of the expansion project. This advocacy would translate into further action when the Friends initiated fundraising plans for the new project.

In Conclusion

The advocacy for the Worcester Public Library continues for the Friends in tandem with the Worcester Public Library Foundation. Check back next time for our next post on the Friends of Worcester Public Library and how their generosity benefits the library and community!

Sources:

"Annual Meeting Planned by Friends of Library." (1964, February 16). Worcester Sunday Telegram, p. D1.

Blunt, R. (1990, May 17). "5,579 Signatures Mark Library Need." Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. A18.

"Candidates Back Main Library Renovation." (1997, November 3). Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. B2.

Duckett, R. (1990, April 11). "Worcester Library to Close Branches." Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. A2.

"Friends of Library to Ask Council Back Plant Site." (1958, March 11). Worcester Telegram, p. 11.

"'Friends of the Library' Group to Be Formed." (1956, January 8). Worcester Sunday Telegram, p. A27.

"Friends of Library to Mark 25th Anniversary Tuesday." (1981, March 29). Worcester Sunday Telegram, p. 24A.

"Group Formed for Promoting New Library." (1957, March 4). Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 13.

Griffin, G. B. (1998, February 10). "Library, School Dueling for Dollars." Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. A1.

Kennedy, H. (1973, November). The First Worcester Book Festival. Friends of the Worcester Public Library Newsletter. 9(5).

"Library 'Friends' Become Tax Exempt." (1979, March 25). Worcester Sunday Telegram, p. 31A.

"The Library's Friends." (1956, January 15). Worcester Sunday Telegram, p. A6.

"Library's Friends Celebrate 25th Year." (1981, April 1). Worcester Telegram, p. 13.

"Nancy Burncoat's Page." (1965, February 28). Worcester Sunday Telegram, p. D1.

"National Library Week Will be April 16 to 22." (1961, March 2). Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 22.

"New Library Will be Site of Meeting." (1964. February 16). Worcester Sunday Telegram, p. D1.

"Pay Study Planned at Library." (1962, December 6). Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 25.

"Public Library Friends Organized, 80 Attend." (1956, January 12). Worcester Telegram, p. 2.

Sullivan, K. (2006, January 22). "Worcester Library Friends Make a Difference." Worcester Sunday Telegram, p. B4.

How to Haunt Your Local Library: A guide for grown-up ghouls

Who says Halloween fun is just for kids? The coolest ghouls know that WPL is the place to be for free, fun programming all October long! From spooky talks to creepy crafts, the Main Library is brewing up Halloween fun for adults! Best of all? It’s all free! Just show up and be ready to have fun!

Want to stay home and read a book, watch a movie, or try your hand at ghost hunting? We can help with that too! Yes, we really have a ghost hunting kit - more on that later. 

Please note: Some programs require registration. Check the program description for more details. 

Events for Adults: Free and open to the public, ages 18 & older. 

DIY Crafts

Join us every Wednesday from 3 - 4:30 in the Innovation Center! Crafts include paint scrape ghosts, spider web decor, spooky miniature art and haunted houses. No registration is required but supplies are limited. Please note all crafts are subject to change.

Ghosts! Strange Tales from 13 Years of Paranormal Investigating

Join us on Tuesday, October 27 from 6:30-7:30 pm to explore unexplained evidence and lessons learned from a seasoned paranormal investigator. Dr. Joanna MacGugan shares stories from her paranormal adventures and demonstrates how you, too, can investigate haunted locations. Click here to register.

Snacks and Suspects: True Crime Book Club - Tuesday, Oct. 27 at 7 pm

October's selection is Captain's Dinner: A Shipwreck, an Act of Cannibalism, and a Murder Trial That Changed Legal History by New York Times bestselling author and acclaimed journalist Adam Cohen. This thought-provoking true story follows four shipwrecked men stranded in a lifeboat, forced to confront an impossible question: How far would you go to survive? Click here to register. 

Virtual Science Fiction Book Club - Tuesday, October 20 at 1 pm

Spooky sci-fi more your vibe? Join our science fiction book club online to discuss The Andromeda Evolution by Daniel H. Wilson. This sequel to Michael Crichton's The Andromeda Strain, follows a mutated alien microbe that resurfaced in the Amazon jungle and the threat it poses to global extinction. Click here to get the meeting link. 

Medicine Making 101: Harnessing Your Inner Kitchen Witch, Presented by Nora Toomey, Clinical Herbalist  - Saturday, October 24 at 2 pm

This is a beginner's guide to making plant medicine using the "folk method." The folk method is a traditional way of making herbal medicine that does not involve fancy equipment, just basic kitchen measuring tools. In this one-hour class, we will go over how to make an herbal syrup, an herbal infused oil, a salve, and a tincture, as well as the plants that would best be extracted using each preparation, and applications for these remedies. Click here to register.

Plants as Muse: Mugwort, Artemis, and the Moon, Presented by Nora Toomey, Clinical Herbalist - Saturday, November 7 at 2 pm

Explore the imagery, deities, planetary rulings, and magical properties associated with Mugwort in this creative art making program. Participants will also receive a pouch of Mugwort, so you can continue your creative (and medicinal!) dance with this marvelous plant. Click here to register.

Watch with One Eye Open!

Patrons with a WPL card can access Kanopy, a streaming service with films, television shows, and documentaries for all ages. You can download the app on your smart TV, mobile device or tablet. Kanopy has a vast selection of films, so it's a great place to look for spooky season!

Good Boy, an emotional drama featuring a dog named Indy who battles supernatural forces with his human, Todd, is great for those looking for light scares and overall creepy vibes. And don't worry, the dog doesn't get hurt. 

If you love new tales based on classic monsters, try A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night. The first Iranian vampire western, Ana Lily Amirpour's debut feature follows a lonely vampire who is stalking the towns most unsavory inhabitants. But when boy meets girl, an unusual love story begins to blossom. If you're looking for comedy, look no further than comedic royalty Marlon Wayans and Cedric the Entertainer in A Haunted House. In the mood for larger than life creature features? Try Sam Raimi's Crawl or Guillermo Del Toro's Mimic.

Read with the Lights On

Whether you read books or listen to them, a scary story can have you looking over your shoulder at night. Click on the link in the title to place a hold on a copy.

Frightful Frontiers: Western Horror

Fans of Yellowstone and Marshalls will enjoy the newly released horror- western The Unheld by Luke Larkin. This story follows twelve-year old Charlie as she journeys across the Montana wilderness to find her father who's been dragged away in the night by a mysterious creature.

For a western that blends the supernatural with American history, add Stephen Graham Jones' The Buffalo Hunter Hunter to your list. Selected as one of The New York Times' 100 Notable Books of the Year, this chilling historical novel is set in the nascent days of the state of Montana, following a Blackfeet Indian named Good Stab as he haunts the fields of the Blackfeet Nation looking for justice.

Enter if You Dare: Haunted Places 

Winner of the Bram Stoker Award for Best Novel, The Reformatory is a gripping, page-turning novel set in Jim Crow Florida that follows Robert Stephens Jr. as he’s sent to a segregated reform school that is a chamber of terrors where he sees the horrors of racism and injustice for the living and the dead. 

Written by Nobel Prize winner Olga Tokarczuk, The Empusium follows a student suffering from tuberculosis at a health resort in western Poland. Every day, its residents gather in the dining room to imbibe the hallucinogenic local liqueur, to obsess over money and status, and to discuss the great issues of the day: Will there be war? Monarchy or democracy? Do devils exist? Are women inherently inferior? Meanwhile, disturbing things are beginning to happen in the guesthouse and its surroundings. As stories of shocking events in the surrounding highlands reach the men, a sense of dread builds.

Hanging with my Boo: Paranormal Romance 

In Emma R. Alban's Happily Ever Afterlife,

struggling writer Frannie encounters the ghost of a young girl while living and working in Manhattan's famously haunted Dakota Building. She soon meets the girl's ghostly family, including Elsa, their attractive and aloof mother. As Frannie secretly begins writing about Elsa, friendship develops into romance, forcing her to choose between her ambitions as a novelist and finding a way to free the ghostly family from the building that has held them for generations.

A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna follows Sera Swan, who used to be one of the most powerful witches in Britain. Now running an enchanted inn with her great-aunt, she encounters Luke, a magical historian, who may be able to help her with the spell to get her magic back. Oh, and there's a talking, slightly villainous fox too. 

Maximum Occupancy: Possession

The Possession of Alba Diaz takes place in 1765 as a plague sweeps through Zacatecas. Alba flees with her wealthy merchant parents and fiancé, Carlos, to his family’s isolated mine for refuge. But safety proves fleeting as other dangers soon bare their teeth: Alba begins suffering from strange hallucinations, sleepwalking, violent convulsions, and senses something cold lurking beneath her skin. 

Tradwife takes us inside the life of influencer Camille Deming. When she isn’t cooking, cleaning, or homesteading in her picture-perfect country farmhouse, she’s posting about her tradwife lifestyle for her online followers. With her marriage in limbo, Camille finds a mysterious, decrepit well in the wheatfield behind her house and makes a wish for a baby. Shortly after, she finds that she is pregnant with a rapidly developing fetus and a craving for raw meat. 

Library of Things 

Books are not the only items you can borrow from the library. Get ready for Halloween with our Library of Things collection! Whether you’re planning a party, trying your hand at a DIY costume, or looking to add a little extra magic to your Halloween festivities, we’ve got things you can borrow to make this October extra spooky! 

One Night Ultimate Werewolf
This is a fast-paced game for 3-10 players where everyone is dealt a secret role. Many of these roles have special abilities that will aid that player in gaining information.  In the course of only one night and the following morning, the players will determine who among them is a werewolf...hopefully. Click here to place a hold. 

Ghost Hunting Kit 

Whether you want to delve into the unknown, find the source of those odd noises in your house, or just want to pretend you're a ghost hunter, our ghost hunting kit is sure to entertain you. Click here to place a hold. 

Sewing Machine

If you take the DIY route, you can borrow our sewing machine to add the final touch to your costume. Click here to place a hold.

Tarot Cards

Curious about what the cards have to say? Tarot is a centuries-old tradition featuring a deck of richly illustrated cards, each filled with symbols, stories, and plenty of room for interpretation. Click here to place a hold. 

Ouija Board

Ready to spell out a little mystery? Whether you’re a believer, a skeptic, or just curious about things that go bump in the night, the Ouija board has a surprisingly interesting history. Click here to place a hold. 

Karaoke Machine and Party Lights

Whether you're hosting an elegant soiree with your vampire friends or a zombie rave, we've got you covered for supplies to put on a graveyard smash! Click here to view our catalog of entertainment items, which includes DJ lighting, a disco light, strobe lights, warming trays, and folding tables!

Want to hear your guests ruin beloved songs that will haunt you for eternity? Check out our karaoke machine! Click here to place a hold. 

Have questions? Call us at (508) 799-1655, ext. 3 or use our email service here. 

Happy Haunting!