The Library

The Library Does Spooky to Spine-tingling in October for All Ages

September 24, 2018 — Fans of slightly spooky tales to the truly bizarre have their pick of programs in October at The Library. We’ve got gentle tales for the kids and spine-tingling true stores of mayhem and mystery in the Ozarks for teens and adults. Drop by for a good scare.

• Thursday, Oct. 4, 7 p.m. Library Center auditorium, for adults. Monsters of the Ozarks. Local hills have long been filled with lore and legends, and according to some Ozarkers, monsters like Momo, Gowrow and even the Goat Man. Kaitlyn McConnell, founder of Ozarks Alive, talks about these stories that entertained (and scared) locals from days gone by. Call 882-0714.
• Saturday, Oct. 6, 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Republic Branch, for adults. Celebrate Frankenstein's 200th Birthday!  Drop by the library to enjoy make-and-take activities celebrating the 200th anniversary of Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein." Materials will be provided.
• Thursday, Oct. 11, 7 p.m. Library Center auditorium, for adults. Bigfoot: History, Legends and Modern Sightings.  Bigfoot, Sasquatch, skunk ape. Whatever you call him, for decades there have been documented reports of strange sightings with one thing in common -- a large, hairy man-like creature roaming the woods and swamps of the southern U.S. But where do fact and fiction separate when it comes to Bigfoot? Cryptozoologist and author Lyle Blackburn will discuss his lifelong fascination with Bigfoot lore and introduce us to Momo -- Missouri’s own Bigfoot legend. Books will be available for sale and signing.  
• Friday Oct. 12, 8:30-10:30 p.m. Moxie Cinema, 305 S. Campbell Ave., #101, for adults. "The Silence of the Lambs.” The terrifying tale of FBI trainee Clarice Starling teaming up with the infamous Hannibal "the Cannibal" Lecter to catch serial killer Buffalo Bill. "The Silence of the Lambs," rated R, has haunted audiences for decades. Experience the horror classic on the big screen during this free presentation.  
• Thursday, Oct. 18, 7 p.m. Library Center auditorium, for adults. Missouri's Murderous Matrons.  The 1928 arrest of Catawissa nurse Bertha Gifford exposed her as a serial killer, believed to be responsible for the deaths of 17 people. Twelve years later, Wentzville farmwife Emma Heppermann was accused of killing two of her husbands by putting arsenic in their potato soup. Further investigation revealed she killed five of her seven husbands. Author Victoria Cosner will unravel the stories behind these unusual Missouri murderesses. Books will be available for sales and signing. 
• Friday, Oct. 19, 6-8 p.m., Library Station Frisco Room, for grades 6-12. Teen Friday Nights: An Evening of Creepypasta. Celebrate the strange and weird as we talk about urban legends, make our own creepypasta characters, and share our favorite stories.
• Friday, Oct. 19, 7-9 p.m., Missouri Spirits, 507 W. Walnut St., for age 21 and older. Monsters of Trivia at Missouri Spirits. Do you like scary movies? Recruit and register a team of four to six horror devotees to compete in eight rounds of monster-themed trivia. Registration starts Oct. 1; call 417-883-5341.
• Saturday, Oct. 20, 7-8:30 p.m. Midtown Carnegie Branch Library, for all ages. Night at the Haunted Library. Enjoy a spooktacular night of after-hours fun and games with creepy mazes, a spooky scavenger hunt, scary stories, cupcakes, punch and prizes. Families welcome; all youth must be accompanied by an adult caregiver. Call 862-0135.
• Thursday, Oct. 25, 5:30 p.m. Willard Branch Library community room, for all ages. Spooktacular Bingo Night. Bring the whole family for a night of spooky book bingo to celebrate the Halloween season. We'll have small prizes for the winners and a grand prize for our champs!
• Thursday, Oct. 25, 7 p.m. Library Center auditorium, for adults. Cannibals and Drug Cartels: A Conversation with Author Kea Wilson. Loosely based on the 1980 Italian exploitation film "Cannibal Holocaust," called "The most controversial film of all time," Kea Wilson's debut novel, "We Eat Our Own," follows a film crew into the Amazon in search of cannibals as they film "Jungle Bloodbath." What they find there are the very real threats of violent Marxist revolutionaries and drug cartels. Wilson will discuss the novel's inspiration, the forces that underlie human violence and the faint borderline between life and art. Books will be available for purchase and signing.  
• Friday, Oct. 26, 10 a.m. Midtown Carnegie Branch Children’s Department, for infants-age 6. Hoots & Howls, Whiskers & Wings: What Will This Halloween Bring? Bring your best hoots, howls and costumes as we get ready for Halloween with books, songs and activities! Who-whooo knows what this Racing to Read Storytime will bring?
• Friday, Oct. 26, 6:30 p.m. Schweitzer Brentwood Branch, for families with kids in grades K-3. Stories After Dark 'Tis the season to be frightened! Come if you dare for spooky snacks, ghoulish games and creepy tales around the library after hours. All youth must be accompanied by an adult caregiver at this family event.
• Saturday, Oct. 27, 11 a.m. Library Station Frisco Room, for all ages. Monster Mash Costume Parade. Show off your costume at our annual parade! We'll meet in the Frisco Room for not-so-scary stories and dance the Monster Mash, then we'll parade through the library and collect treats.
• Monday, Oct. 29, 5:30 p.m., Willard Branch community room, for grades 4-6.  Book Bites. Listen along as we read aloud the first few chapters of “One for Sorrow: A Ghost Story” by Mary Downing Hahn, while working on a craft. Materials and snacks will be provided; seating is limited. Registration starts October 1; call 417-742-4258.
• Tuesday, Oct. 30, 10 a.m. Republic Branch community room, for infants-age 6. Monster Mash Storytime. Dress up, trick-or-treat and enjoy a monster of a storytime as we celebrate Halloween.
• Tuesday, Oct. 30, 10 a.m. Willard Branch community room, for infants-age 6, Monster Mash Storytime. Bring your treat pail to the library for a special Halloween-themed storytime with monster stories, crafts and a candy hunt. Costumes are welcome.
• Tuesday, Oct. 30, 11 a.m. Strafford Branch, for infants-preschool. Stuffed Animal Masquerade and Storytime, Bring a stuffed animal to the library for some Halloween dress-up fun. We’ll read not-so-scary stories, sing silly songs, make masquerade masks and play dress-up with our favorite sidekicks.
• Wednesday, Oct. 31, 9:30 a.m. Ash Grove Branch community room, for infants-age 6. Little Monster Mash Storytime. Dress up, bring your treat pail, and join us for not-so-spooky Halloween stories and activities.
• Wednesday, Oct. 31, 9:30 a.m., 10:15 a.m., and 11:15 a.m.  Library Center auditorium, for infants-age 6. Halloween Storytime. Wear your costume for a storytime that's a little bit spooky but a lot of fun! Then join the parade as we trick-or-treat through the library.
• Wednesday, Oct. 31, 10 a.m. Republic Branch community room, for infants-age 6. Monster Mash Storytime. Dress up, trick-or-treat and enjoy a monster of a storytime as we celebrate Halloween.
• Wednesday, Oct. 31, 11 a.m. Fair Grove Branch, for infants-age 6. Monster Mash Storytime. Come in your costume if you dare for a frightfully good time with some not-so-scary stories, a craft, and a candy hunt through the library and city hall!