Library scares up some Halloween activities

Thursday, October 28, 2010

GREENCASTLE -- This Friday and Saturday the Putnam County Public Library is having a pair of Halloween events that, between them, should offer activities to a variety of people.

Friday will feature a Halloween and Book Party from 4 to 6 p.m., and Saturday will have a ghost story event called "Our Stories: Paranormal Encounters" at 3 p.m.

Rajean Gallagher, PCPL's program coordinator said some of what happens at the party could be a surprise to members of the library, too.

"Dave Roberts from DePauw University is the catalyst behind everything that happens when you step into the Kiwanis Room," Gallagher said. "He said there would be various bugs from the biology department."

Gallagher said there would be dry ice ice cream at the event. Roberts also indicated to Gallagher he would have a couple of surprises ready.

At the Encounters event, the library is hoping to expand on the personal narratives of people who claim to have had run-ins with ghosts in the county.

"The Local History Department has started a ghost file and they're hoping to build on that file," PCPL children's librarian Cortina Ziuchkovski said. "With every paranormal group that we've had come to the library, there's always been a few people that are willing to share some of their own stories. We're hoping to get them all at one event so that local history can collect the stories."

Ziuchkovski said one ghost story currently dominates the library's file.

"We have several stories from the O'Hare house," Ziuchkovski said.

The O'Hare house, which is now torn down, was said to be haunted by a ghost called the Pink Lady, who would appear in windows, according to ghosthauntings.org.

The Friday party will also involve a free book for any children who attend the party.

"In the children's department, I have books from the friends of the library -- they donated the fund," Ziuchkovski said. "We've ordered over a thousand books, and each child that comes into the Children's Department will receive one free book."

Ziuchkovski said the books covered a wide area of subjects, and there would be both fiction and non-fiction options. The reading levels of the books go up to fifth grade chapter books.

"There should be something for everyone," Ziuchkovski said.

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