This week Librarian Sally Hughes talks ghost-busting and all things spooky…

With Hallowe’en upon us it’s the perfect time to point you in the direction of our most ghoulish collections here at Central Library.

The first place to be is right here at our The Supernatural  research guide. You can find all these books on our online catalogue, items are held in the Local and Family History Library and the Reference & Research stacks, if you dare to read in person….(you can also see a full list of all our research guides).

One of my personal favourites, although not much to look at, is Lord Halifax’s Ghost Book. There are macabre tales aplenty in here including those from Yorkshire and even one about a Vampire cat, what’s not to like? There’s already an excellent past blog post on this book should you wish to learn more. 

If you’re looking for something a little more contemporary in the same vein you could try Jeremy Dyson’s titles The Haunted Book or Never Trust a Rabbit, both collections of short unsettling tales. Dyson of course is a Leeds-born and educated writer and director of The League of Gentleman fame and most recently the British horror film Ghost Stories, some of which was filmed in Leeds and Yorkshire.

There are always whisperings around Central Library that this 134-year old building could be haunted… There are hidden corners, secret passageways, huge vaulted safe doors and Victorian toilets still in existence here. Read more about a couple of odd or unseen features of Central Library or why not visit us and join one of our Heritage Tours? You can find upcoming dates on Ticketsource or via our Local Studies newsletter, sign up here.

Happy Hallowe’en!