Ghostly Passion for Books

I was a passionate reader from the time I first learned to read. I loved my library card and could never seem to find enough books to read. So this got me thinking that once I passed from this world how fantastic it would be to at least once a week visit a library in spirit. While still on earth I would love it if I had someone who could accompany me and I could combine my two passions reading and searching for spirits.

England

With all of its castles, large mansions, and centuries of history, England has quite a lot of spirits who like to appear in various places now and then.

The library at the family estate, Felbrigg Hall has a resident spirit. This is a 17th-century English country house located near the village of the same name in Norfolk, England. The spirit in question is that of William Windham III who was an 18th-century scholar. He was a close friend of the lexicographer Samuel Johnson. Wyndham was a noted orator and a prominent statesman. It was unfortunate that his love of books caused his demise.

The Gothic Library at Felbrigg was designed by James Paine in the 1750s. Both William II and William III brought back books from their Grand Tour to fill the library. It was in 1809 in the summertime that William III met his fate. As he neared his house he saw that a fire had erupted in the house of his friend, Robert North. He knew that North had a library with valuable manuscripts. Windham set out to help rescue the manuscripts from the library. During this process he fell, bruising his hip. It was unfortunate that the bruise developed into a tumor and needed to be operated on. Windham did not survive the operation but that did not make him give up on his passion for reading.

His spirit has enjoyed this library for nearly two centuries. When the estate was acquired by the National Trust in the 1970s, David Muffon, who was in charge of putting the estate in order, first met Windham. As he was working in the library he noticed that he was not alone. There was a gentleman sitting in an armchair by the fireplace reading books. A perfectly normal observance in a library, so Muffon thought nothing more about it. Then not more than fifteen seconds had passed when the gentleman put down his book and just disappeared. I sure hope he bookmarked his place in that book.

After this incident, Muffton spoke to the old family butler and inquired if the estate had any ghosts about it. The butler told him about Windham whose favorite pastime even after death was to sit in the armchair by the fireplace in the library and read books. For years, the butler would dutifully place books on the table particularly those given to Windham by Samuel Johnson for the spirit to read. Afterward. Muffton recalled having found a trunk of clothes in the attic which resembled the clothing the spirit of Windham was wearing from the 1780 period. Apparently, no recent sightings have been reported.

One of the most haunted libraries is considered to be the Combermere Abbey Library in Shropshire, England. It all began with a photograph taken in 1891. In the photo, a faintly visible male figure can be seen sitting in the left-hand chair in the library. A few days earlier the second Lord Combermere had been struck and killed by a horse-drawn carriage in London. At the moment when the photo was taken by Lady Sybell Corbet, Combermere’s burial was taking place. Four years later, Sir William Barrett, a paranormal researcher decided to investigate what occurred in the library when that photo was taken. He set up a camera and when the film was developed there was that figure in the chair and it looked a lot like the dear departed Lord Combermere.

Scotland

Rammerscales Mansion Library in Lockerbie, Scotland is haunted by its builder, James Mounsey. Mounsey enlisted in the Russian Navy as a surgeon in the early 18th century. He became a Fellow of the Royal Society and Physician-in-Chief to the Tsarina army. Later he became the First Physician to the Empress Elizabeth, daughter of Peter the Great. Due to political unrest in Russia, he fled home and became fearful that his friendship with Tsar Peter III would result in his death. He became a recluse in his home in Scotland, never losing his fear, he died still paranoid in 1773. After his death, his spirit has been seen roaming the library. Other paranormal activities have been the slamming of doors and a ghostly figure running up and down the halls. During WW II students who stayed at the mansion were so frightened they slept in the stables.

Australia

The State Library of Victoria in Melbourne, Australia dates back to 1854. There are several ghostly residents in the library. In the Art section, is the spirit of former librarian, Grace. She keeps a close watch over the books. In the Music Room is a fashionably dressed ghostly man with a mustache. He looks over the music books and then leaves them out of place once he is finished.

North America

The US

Illinois

Peoria Public Library in Peoria, Illinois was built on cursed ground. Around 1830, Mrs. Andrew Gray lived in a house built here. When financial hardships caused foreclosure on her home she cursed the property and all its future owners. The library was built close to the place where her house once stood. Strange things began to happen like the first three library directors died under mysterious circumstances. In 1966 the library was demolished and another one was built in its place. However, this did not put an end to the curse and the library staff could hear their names being called when alone in the stacks. Cold drafts are felt and an apparition of a former director appears in the basement doorway.

Cairo Public Library in Cairo, Illinois seems to have the most active ghosts in the city. A librarian named one resident ghost “Toby”. He shows up in the Special Collections Room. His presence is known by how he squeaks chairs in empty rooms and flashing lights jump between bookshelves, A ghostly light has been seen rising from behind a desk, passing slowly through an office and disappearing in the book stacks. A rocking chair in the library would make creaking noises like an unseen presence was rocking in it.

Lewis and Clark Community College in Godfrey Illinois opened in 1838 as Monticello College. At that time the headmistress was Harriet Haskell. Her favorite room was the chapel which is now the Learning Resources Center LRC. She has chosen to haunt the library. In the 1970s a disbelieving librarian felt a hand touch her on the shoulder blade. She was working at night and when she turned around there was no one there. Feeling chilled by this experience she closed up the library and left. Professor Lars Hoffman brings his history classes to the library as folklore lessons. Usually, one or two students mention to him one of the two prominent cold spots in the reading room. Apparently, Haskell is still around.

Indiana

Willard Library in Evansville, Indiana has a spirit known as the “Gray Lady”. She was first seen by a custodian in the 1930s. She has been seen many times over the years even by policemen called at night to investigate a security alarm that went off suddenly. Those who encounter this ghostly lady hear strange noises, smell the scent of perfume, and feel ghostly touches. There are also cold spots in places, books disappear, and furniture gets moved about. It is unknown who the “Gray Lady” is but every October a ghost tour is held in her honor.

One guess about who the “Gray Lady” might be is that of the daughter of the founder of the library, Louise Carpenter. When her father passed away, William Carpenter left his estate to his businesses and the library. Louise fought against this decision claiming her father was not of sound mind and body when he wrote this last will and testament. Since she lost in court it is thought she has returned to rightfully claim what she considers should have been hers.

Ghost cams have been set up facing the “Gray Lady” hot spots to catch a glimpse of the lady in the long gray dress with a veil over her face.

North Carolina

At New Hanover County Public Library NHCPL in Wilmington, North Carolina has a resident ghost in the Local History Room. It is apparently the spirit who once came to the library to conduct Civil War research. In the mornings, library files are found spread out on a table in the reading room even though the night before they were put away. People have heard the sounds of pages being turned with a slight rustling.

One book was often found left out on the table “The Papers of Zebulon Baird Vance”. A curious ten-year-old boy came to investigate the ghost. He took a look at the book and discovered an envelope inside addressed to the person the librarian thought was the ghostly spirit. He asked her if this had anything to do with the book being left out. The librarian had looked through the book numerous times but had never found that envelope before.

Paranormal activity continues to happen like odd noises heard in the Special Collection Area, objects moving about, and tapping on shoulders. Sometimes visitors have seen a bearded, heavyset man wearing clothes from the late 19th century, who then just vanishes. These haunted happenings have inspired spooky programs at NHCPL.

Wyoming

Rocky Mountain High School in Byron Wyoming has spooky things going on. Back in the 1950s working late at night, school superintendent Harold Hopkinson heard footsteps going up the stairs to the library. The library door opened and closed twice and more footsteps sounded, so he looked out into the hallway. No one was there but the footsteps went past him, down the stairs and the front door opened. The school maintenance man was scared by a bloodcurdling scream coming from the girl’s restroom late at night in 1989. When he looked, no one was there.

Another custodian getting cleaning materials on the second floor saw something like a wisp of smoke in the hall. It was very smelly and she felt like the thing whatever it was telling her “Jump out the window!” At this moment she could not move or get to the door but when she finally could, she ran off. At the time it was still a high school intense cold spots were felt, moving mists were seen, footsteps were heard, and lights turning on and off by themselves. There were never any explanations and supposedly it is still haunted today but has become a community recreation and events center. The Byron Recreation Department has conducted Ghost Tours of the building.

Sweetwater County Library in Green River, Wyoming has had restless spirits since opening day in 1980. Lights would go on and off by themselves and flapping sounds were heard through the building at night. A former library director said her staff had seen dots of light dancing on the walls in the closed art gallery room. While there were no computers, electric typewriters were known to type on their own. With no paper in them the messages if any were not known and when paper was left in the machines no typing occurred. An interlibrary loan librarian was working on a Geac terminal. As she turned away from the screen her name was spelled out on the screen. Her name appeared in large letters with nothing else on the screen.

What is known about the library is that it was built on top of the cemetery in the 1860s. The graves were of Asian railroad workers and moved in the 1920s. However, in 1985 a coffin was found. Paranormal activity mostly occurs when maintenance workers are working on the building or grounds. A log of ghostly activities was kept but once the spirit’s presence was accepted the activity died down.

Supposedly some ghostly activity still happens and in 2006 the library started hosting Ghost Walks. Participants can use ghost-hunting equipment. The library is in the process of writing a book that chronicles the Sweetwater County Library’s History of Ghosts.

Oregon

Umatilla County Public Library in Pendleton, Oregon is haunted by the spirit of Ruth Cochran. In the 1940s she was an assistant librarian. Each evening her assignment was to lock up the library. Unfortunately, one day, as she was about to lock up, she had a severe headache which later led to a cerebral hemorrhage. However, at the time she sat down by the basement doors hoping to soon feel better. In a matter of minutes, she could no longer stand up or call for help. The next morning she was found still conscious and taken to the hospital, but later died there.

Becoming a spirit Ruth decided her library work was not done and creepy, strange occurrences began to happen. The uneasy atmosphere in the building being caused by this ghostly presence means she is still seeking help.

Nebraska

At Bellwood Elementary School in Bellwood, Nebraska the library has been taken over by paranormal activity. There are mysterious cold spots and frightening noises are heard. The ghostly image of a severely burned woman appears at the library window looking out in anger and desperation. During the night, near the library ghostly spirits have been seen roaming the corridors.

New Jersey

Old Bernardsville Public Library in Bernardsville, New Jersey has the ghostly spirit of an 18th-century innkeeper’s daughter. At one time this building was the Vealtown Tavern during the Revolutionary War. It was Phyllis Parker’s misfortune to fall in love with a British spy. He was captured, charged, and hung. When the body was brought to the tavern in a coffin, Phyllis had a breakdown. Never fully recovering from this tragedy years later she died in the innkeeper’s quarters. Now she has been heard wailing and crying in the library. Due to her constant presence, the library staff has issued her a library card. I believe this is my first time hearing about a ghostly spirit with a library card.

Africa

The Africana Library in Kimberly, South Africa has a ghostly spirit. The library was built in 1882 and in the early 1900s a credentialed librarian was hired. His name was Bertrand Dyer. Unfortunately, even though he was qualified for his position he began engaging in fraud. He placed orders for books, inflating the prices to present to the city for payment and pocketed the extra cash. After his scam was uncovered, his shame was such that he committed suicide by taking cyanide. Life was not done with him yet and he suffered for three days in great pain before he died in the library. Visitors have seen a man dressed in the fashion of the Edwardian era. The ghostly specter is seen floating up and down the hallways. He rearranges the books on the shelves and if you cannot find a book Dyer will help out by knocking it off the shelf.