The Importance of Horror Fiction

The Importance of Horror Fiction

 

“I think it's relatively easy for people to accept something like telepathy or precognition or teleplasm because their willingness to believe doesn't cost them anything. It doesn't keep them awake nights. But the idea that the evil that men do lives after them is unsettling.”
― Stephen King, 'Salem's Lot   

 

It is hard not to walk into a library or bookstore today and not be confronted with vampires and werewolves. These creatures of myth and fantasy have been capturing the imagination of readers for centuries. Zombies and vampires have gained popularity over the past decade with the help from a swarm of authors who write books designed to capture the interest of teenagers; however, the horror genre has been around for hundreds of years. People have been telling ghost stories for as long as people were willing to listen. Oral traditions, such as telling fantastical stories around a campfire or to a sleepless child, help captivate the imagination and offer an escape from the normal routine.

Bram Stoker’s 1897 gothic horror story Dracula and Horace Walpole’s 1764 novel The Count of Otranto are considered by many to be the earliest and most influential writings in this genre that reached mass audiences. Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel, Frankenstein; or, the modern Prometheus is another classic horror story that questions man’s ability to play God. The impact of these classics is profound and has been integral in the formation and popularity of many contemporary horror writers. Fast forward to America, circa the 1970s and the origins of contemporary horror fiction begin to surface.

Find Surprises at Your Library Treasure Hunt

In honor of "Find Surprises at Your Library,"our annual spring fundraiser, we are hosting a Library Treasure Hunt. The winner will receive an MRL gift pack (MRL bookstore certificate, notepad, magnet, flashlight, book bag, etc….) All entries must be received by May 26th; winner announced Thursday, May 30th. Entries will be received at the Reference Desk. Do you know where that is?

Download the following form, solve as many riddles as you can, and bring to the Reference Desk. Good luck!

Impact Survey Results

Many of you noticed when logging onto our website a banner asking you to take the Impact Survey. First, we would like to thank everyone who took the time to complete the survey. Surveys like the Impact Survey help libraries and librarians across the country understand more about our user’s information needs. The Impact Survey is the result of research initiative from the University of Washington’s Information School with support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The purpose of the survey is to better understand how technology impacts library users. A library’s purpose is to serve its community and libraries are constantly striving to better understand their users so we can become better at what we do.

The Impact Survey collected data in the following fields: general use of library and online resources, education, employment, entrepreneurship, health and wellness, eGovernment, civic engagement, eCommerce, and social inclusion. All responses were anonymous and used to create a profile for our library that reflects the information needs of all our unique users.