Haunted Libraries in the U.S.A.

Does the ghost of a librarian that just couldn’t bear to be parted from her books frequent the library in your hometown? Does she reside there peacefully unless disturbed? Does she react like the ghost librarian from Ghostbusters if you try to talk to her? Or is she more like the ghost librarian at the Willard Library in Evansville, Indiana? Does she allow herself to be filmed?

Each library listed below is reported to be haunted in some way. Maybe only strange and unexplained noises have been heard. Or maybe an actual ghost has been seen. Some of the ghosts have even been known to be disruptive. Not all of the places are still libraries, but they once were home to lots and lots of books.

Enjoy the list. Maybe there is even a haunted library close enough to you for you to visit. Or you could even work in a public library or a school library where a ghost has been reported. If you do, and  you have seen the ghost, I would be interested in hearing about it.

Alabama
>Albertville Public Library
>Bay Minette Public Library, Hampton D. Ewing building
>Birmingham Public Library, Linn-Henley Research Library
>Gadsden Public Library
>Tuscaloosa Public Library, former library on Greensboro Avenue
>Tuscaloosa, University of Alabama, Amelia Gayle Gorgas Library

Arizona
>Fort Huachuca, Colonel Smith Middle School

Arkansas
>Benton, Saline County Library, Old Palace Theater
>Helena, Phillips County Library and Museum

California
>Alhambra, Ramona Convent Secondary School
>Chowchilla, Madera County Library, Chowchilla Branch
>Clayton, Contra Costa County Library, Clayton Community Library
>El Centro, Central Union High School
>Glendale, Brand Library and Art Center
>Long Beach Public Library
>Los Angeles, California State University, John F. Kennedy Memorial Library
>Los Angeles Public Library, Cypress Park Branch
>Riverside, University of California, Tomás Rivera Library
>Sacramento Public Library, Sacramento Room
>San Bernardino, St. Thomas Aquinas High School
>Upland, Pioneer Junior High School
>Yorba Linda, Richard Nixon Library and Birthplace

Colorado
>Denver Public Library

Connecticut
>Newtown, Cyrenius H. Booth Library
>Bridgeport Public Library

District of Columbia
>U.S. Capitol Building, Rotunda

Florida
>Miami, Southwest Miami Senior High School
>Tampa, Howard W. Blake High School
>Tampa, University of South Florida Library
>West Palm Beach, Palm Beach Atlantic University, Warren Library

Illinois
>Cairo, A. B. Safford Memorial Library
>Decatur, Millikin University, Gorin Hall
>Godfrey, Lewis and Clark Community College, Reid Memorial Library
>McHenry, McHenry East High School
>Normal, Illinois State University, Williams Hall
>Peoria Public Library
>Peru Washington School

Indiana
>Evansville, Willard Library

>Fort Wayne, University of Saint Francis Library, Bass Mansion
>Greencastle, DePauw University, Roy O. West Library
>Madison–Jefferson County Public Library
>North Webster Elementary School
>Poseyville Carnegie Public Library

Iowa
>Boone, Ericson Public Library
>Cedar Rapids Museum of Art (used to be Cedar Rapids Public Library)
>Cedar Rapids, Brucemore Mansion (the library in this mansion is said to be haunted)
>Council Bluffs, Union Pacific Railroad Museum (formerly the Carnegie Library)

Kansas
>Dodge City, Soule Intermediate Center (library of a former high school)
>Hutchinson Public Library

Kentucky
>Bowling Green, Western Kentucky University, Helm Library
>Owensboro, Daviess County Public Library

Maine
>Elkton, Old Library
>Ellicott City, Howard County Law Library, Hayden House

Massachusetts
>Belchertown, Clapp Memorial Library
>Boston Athenaeum Library
>Boston Public Library, East Boston Branch
>Danvers, Peabody Institute Library
>Fairhaven, Millicent Library
>Hull Public Library
>Lowell, Dr. An Wang Middle School
>New Bedford Free Public Library
>Norton, Wheaton College, Madeleine Clark Wallace Library
>Oxford Free Public Library

Michigan
>Belding, Alvah N. Belding Memorial Library
>Dearborn Heights, Berwyn Senior Center library
>Detroit Public Library, Skillman Branch
>Muskegon, Hackley Public Library
>Ypsilanti, Ladies Library building

Minnesota
>St. Cloud State University, James W. Miller Learning Resources Center

Mississippi
>Meridian–Lauderdale County Public Library
>Tupelo, Lee-Itawamba Library System

Missouri
>Mountain View, Southwest Baptist University, Mountain View Center Library
>Nevada, Cottey College, Blanche Skiff Ross Memorial Library
>St. Charles, Lindenwood University, Butler Library
>St. Joseph Carnegie Public Library
>St. Louis, University of Missouri, Thomas Jefferson Library

Montana
>Billings, Parmly Billings Library
>Billings, Western Heritage Center (formerly the Parmly Billings Memorial Library)

Nebraska
>Bellevue Public Library
>Bellwood Elementary School
>Malcolm, Westfall Elementary School

New Mexico
>Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Library System, San Pedro Branch

New Hampshire
>Meredith Public Library

New Jersey
>Old Bernardsville Public Library
>Raritan Public Library, General John Frelinghuysen House
>West Long Branch, Monmouth University, Murry and Leonie Guggenheim Memorial Library

New York
>Aurora, Wells College, Louis Jefferson Long Library
>Clinton, Kirkland Town Library
>Morrisville Public Library
>New Paltz, Elting Memorial Library
>New York City, The Public Theater – Formerly the Astor Library
>Rochester, University of Rochester, Rush Rhees Library
Tarrytown, Sunnyside

North Carolina
>Elizabethtown, Bladen County Public Library
>Hickory, Lenoir-Rhyne University, Carl A. Rudisill Library
>Hickory, Patrick Beaver Memorial Library
>Marion, East McDowell Junior High School media center
>Mooresville, Brawley Middle School library
>Morehead City, Earle W. Webb Jr. Library and Civic Center
>Raleigh, State Capitol, State Library Room
>Saluda, Polk County Public Library, Saluda Branch
>Taylorsville, Alexander County Library
>Washington, Beaufort-Hyde-Martin Regional Library, Old Beaufort County Courthouse
>Wilmington, New Hanover County Public Library
>Winston-Salem, Salem College, Dale H. Gramley Library

North Dakota
>Bismarck, Liberty Memorial Building
>Harvey Public Library

Ohio
>Ashtabula County District Library
>Circleville, Samuel Moore House (formerly The Pickaway County Genealogy Library)
>Granville, Denison University, William H. Doane Library
>Hinckley, Old Stouffer House
>Ironton, Briggs Lawrence County Public Library
>Kent Free Library, Carnegie building
>Paulding County Carnegie Library
>Public Library of Steubenville and Jefferson County
>Toledo–Lucas County Public Library, West Toledo Branch

Oklahoma
>Broken Bow Public Library
>Inola Public Library
>Waurika Public Library

Oregon
>Pendleton Center for the Arts (first a Carnegie library, then the Umatilla County Public Library)
>Portland, Multnomah County Library, North Portland Branch

Pennsylvania
>Bethlehem, Lehigh University, Linderman Library
>Cheltenham, former East Cheltenham Free Library, James Houldin House
>Dormont Public Library
>Easton Area Public Library
>Gettysburg Borough Office Building
>Hazleton, Bishop Hafey High School
>Immaculata College, Gabriele Library
>Milton Public Library
>Philadelphia, American Philosophical Society, Library Hall
>Philadelphia, Civil War Library and Museum
>Philadelphia, Historical Society of Pennsylvania
>Phoenixville Public Library
>Pittsburgh, Andrew Bayne Memorial Library
>Riegelsville Public Library
>Selinsgrove, Susquehanna University, Blough-Weis Library
>University Park, Pennsylvania State University, Pattee Library
>University Park, Pennsylvania State University, Pollock Laptop Library

South Carolina
>Charleston Library Society
>Columbia, University of South Carolina, South Caroliniana Library
>McClellanville, Hampton Plantation State Historic Site, the downstairs library

Tennessee
>Hendersonville, Robert E. Ellis Middle School
>Johnson City, East Tennessee State University, Gilbreath Hall
>Knoxville, University of Tennessee, James D. Hoskins Library
>Lebanon, Cumberland University, Doris and Harry Vise Library
>Memphis, University of Memphis, John Willard Brister Hall
>Rugby, Thomas Hughes Free Public Library

Texas
>Alice High School Library
>Boerne Public Library
>Brownsville, Dr. Garcia Middle School Library
>Brownsville, University of Texas, Arnulfo L. Oliveira Memorial Library
>Course cana, Navarro County Courthouse Law Library
>Eagle Pass Public Library
>Houston, Charles H. Milby High School Library
>Houston Public Library, Julia Ideson Building
>McKinney Public Library
>San Angelo, Fort Concho Museum, Officers’ Quarters 7 – This is now the museum library.
>San Antonio, Dolph and Janey Briscoe Western Art Museum – a former library
>San Antonio, Institute of Texan Cultures Library
>San Antonio, Marion Koogler McNay Art Museum – This room was once the library in a private residence.
>San Antonio, Our Lady of the Lake University, Sueltenfuss Library
>San Antonio, Whittier Middle School Library
>Waco, Baylor University, Armstrong Browning Library

Utah
>Provo, Brigham Young University, Harold B. Lee Library
>Salt Lake City Public Library, Chapman Branch

Vermont
>Northfield, Norwich University, Chaplin Hall

Virginia
>Essex County, Blandfield – the downstairs library of a privately owned mansion
>Fauquier County, Edgehill
>Stratford, Stratford Hall Plantation Library

Washington
>Bellingham, Western Washington University, Mabel Zoe Wilson Library
>Snohomish Carnegie Library and war memorial
>Spokane, Centennial Middle School
>Tacoma Public Library, Anna E. McCormick Community Rooms
>Toppenish, Mary L. Goodrich Library

West Virginia
>Kingwood Public Library
>Morgantown, West Virginia University, Downtown Campus Library

Wisconsin
>Cornell Public Library
>Madison, University of Wisconsin, Memorial Library
>West Bend, University of Wisconsin Washington County Library

Wyoming
>Burns High School
>Byron, Rocky Mountain High School
>Green River, Sweetwater County Library
>Thermopolis, Hot Springs County Library

Writing Prompt:
Have one of your character sneak into one of these haunted libraries. Why? Is your character searching for a long lost book? Maybe there is some sort of secret or clues hidden inside the library, and your character has to discover them.

But your character becomes locked overnight in this library and has an experience that won’t easily be forgotten. Does the library’s ghost come out and visit? Is this ghost nice or not-so-nice? Does your character leave this library alive?

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