Apparitions & Monsters, Witches & Wine?

It's October, a month when many people's thoughts turn to things that go bump in the night. Of course, the library tries to get into the "spirit" of the spooky season.

Our book discussion group is discussing The Apparitionists: A tale of phantoms, fraud, photography, and the man who captured Lincoln's ghost, by Peter Manseau. This book is actually a nonfiction account of the 19th-century "spirit photography" phenomenon and the fraud trial of photographer William Mumler, whose client list included Mary Todd Lincoln.

We're also inviting trick-or-treaters to visit the library during the first half hour of Meyersdale's designated trick-or-treat time on Saturday, October 29. Between 4:30 and 5 PM, we will be handing out treats to kids with both scary and not-so-scary costumes. (We close at 5, or we'd hand out treats longer!)

We invite children and family members to Meet the Money Monsters on Tuesday, November 1st at 4:30 p.m. These aren't scary monsters, however. The storyline is that they are friendly aliens from another universe who need to learn to understand money (which apparently doesn't exist where they are from.) Children can learn with the Money Monsters as they learn. Participants receive FREE materials (courtesy of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau), including stickers, bookmarks, a chapter book, and the following story pamphlets:

• Money Monsters Learn to Save

• Money Monsters Learn About Careers

• Money Monsters Learn to Protect Their Things

• Money Monsters Learn What Things Really Cost

• Money Monsters Learn to Become Good Borrowers

• Money Monsters Learn About Giving

Come meet the Money Monsters!

We invite you to a totally non-scary, non-monstrous, and truly wonderful fundraising event presented by our Friends of the Library group. On Saturday, November 5, Wine at the Mansion returns to the Levi Deal mansion. Tickets are $30, and available at the library's front desk. I'll be sharing more about this fun event in future posts. It's a truly pleasant way to support your local library -- all treats and no tricks!

Finally, our library is "in the spirit" of things by applying to the William G. Pomeroy Foundation's "Legends and Lore" marker grant to celebrate the witchy folklore surrounding the remote Somerset County area known as "Hexie." We thank our volunteer Linda, and are grateful to the Rockwood Historical Society for providing materials related to this legend.