By rssfeeds-admin 
Those are some of the things that make the autumn season unique year after year. For some, that means embracing the cozy, and sometimes spooky, nature of the fall with books, movies and other media that fit the season itself.
Officials from libraries across central Indiana are celebrating the upcoming Halloween season in their own unique ways, from providing recommendations to patrons to hosting holiday-specific events and gatherings.
At the Plainfield-Guilford Township Public Library, there has been a large uptick in thrillers in the fall season, Lauren McPike, manager of Cataloging Services, said. In general, thrillers are always popular at the library, but there are a few standouts in what is being checked out.
“The most popular thriller authors this year are Frieda McFadden, Shari Lapena, and Dean Koontz.”
Thrillers are to be expected during this time period. However, there is an interesting trend within the library. McPike said that she has noticed many cookbooks being checked out for warm and cozy recipes.
Books centered on crockpot food and different kinds of soup come off the shelves faster now than at any other time of the year. Also, with harvest season coming to an end, there is a small uptick in food preservation books, including ones centered on how patrons can jar vegetables grown throughout the spring.
“I would guess that people who are checking out those books have been gardening during the spring and summer and want to store a lot of their harvestables for cold weather,” she said.
However, Teen Librarian Ashley Byrer has seen some horror books leaving her Young Adult display, books similar to true crime. These are more realistic and can be seen as a larger trend in young adults, not just in the fall season.
“I think it is partially due to the rise of true crime, teens have always been interested in the what-ifs that are actually possible,” she said.
“What if” scenarios are also what draw Ryan LaFerney, a librarian at the Irvington branch of the Indianapolis Public Library, to reading horror. Since he was a kid, he told FOX59/CBS4 that he has loved gothic and horror types of media, which he says is a natural fit with the Irvington location.
According to previous reports, Irvington has hosted its annual Halloween festival since 1927. The week-long festival includes a Halloween ball, blood drive, spooky organ concert, parade, zombie bike ride, vampire run and more.
The Halloween celebration and the spooky history of Irvington are things that patrons celebrate year-round at the library, especially with the items that are checked out, LaFerney said.
“Our branches try to represent the neighborhoods that we are in, right. Irvington has a spooky history,” he said. “There’s this creepy, dark history to Irvington. A lot of our patrons check out horror (titles) all year round. Those circulate constantly.”
But especially around Halloween time, the Irvington branch hosts horror-centered special events, from a “type-in” centered on scary stories on Oct. 27 to a Reading with a Witch story time on Oct 30.
LaFerney said these kinds of events are especially fun, because they line up with his own interests.
“I happen to like horror, so it makes the job even more exciting,” he said. “But it’s fun to see patrons being receptive to the programs and knowing that you’re making an impact through providing programs that they want and are interested in.
“It’s important for, especially the Irvington branch, to have Halloween-specific programs since the neighborhood is so focused on Halloween,” LaFerney continued. “It seems like once July rolls around, we’re talking about Halloween. It’s kind of our holiday around this neighborhood, more than any other holiday.”
Some of the Plainfield-Guilford Township Public Library staff’s underground favorites during the fall season include:
- “The House Next Door” by Anne Rivers Siddons
- “The Sun Down Motel” by Simone St. James
- “Hide” by Kiersten White
Some of LaFerney’s top choices for the spooky season include:
- “The Clackity” by Laura Senf for middle-school readers
- “You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight” by Kalynn Bayron for young adult readers
- “Boys in the Valley” by Philip Fracassi for adult readers.
One of the reasons why LaFerney loves horror is that it gives him the chance to address some of his fears, serving as a way to explore a form of speculative fiction.
“It gives us a safe space to deal with issues that may be taboo,” LaFerney said, “confront our personal fears and maybe, hopefully, gain some courage through reading it.”
Hamilton East Public Library programs and recommendations
Other libraries across Central Indiana, including the Hamilton East Public Library system, are hosting fall programming and providing recommendations ahead of the spooky season. Here are some events and recommendations for individuals who live in the Noblesville and Fishers areas:
Fall Programs
- Crafty Teens: Spooky String Art
- For teens in grades 6-12
- 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 8 at the Fishers library and Oct. 14 at the Noblesville library
- Haunted Hamilton County: Ghosts of Indiana and Beyond
- 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 16 at the Noblesville library
- Crownland Cemetery Walking Tour
- 2 p.m. at the Crownland Cemetery, located on Monument St. in Noblesville
- Teen Fright Night
- For teens in grades 6-12
- 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 28 at the Noblesville library and 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 29 at the Fishers library
- Monster Bash
- 3 p.m. on Oct. 30 at the Noblesville library
- Day of the Dead Story Celebration
- 11 a.m. on Oct. 31 at the Noblesville library
Fall recommendations
Youth
- “The Ghost Tree” by Natasha Deen
- “Not Quite a Ghost” by Anne Ursu
Middle School
- “The Many Hauntings of the Manning Family” by Lorien Lawrence
- “Masks: a graphic novel” by Margaret Rae
High School
- “Clown in a Cornfield” by Adam Cesare
- “Pumpkinheads” by Rainbow Rowell
Adult
“Vibes-based title suggestions”
For readers who love all things pumpkin spice, autumnal romance and coziness.
- “The Night Tiger” by Yangsze Choo
- “The Murder of Mr. Wickham” by Claudia Gray
“Spooky-based title suggestions”
For readers who begin decorating for Halloween in September or August and are looking for books that give them the shivers.
- “Northanger Abbey” by Jane Austen
- “Nettle and Bone” by T. Kingfisher
Movies
- “The Village” by M. Night Shyamalan
- “A Quiet Place” by John Krasinski
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