October 19, 2026
No Comments
If you’re a first-time book club attendee or a little nervous to join a new group, here are some tips to help you jump in, participate, and have a great time.
It's Spooky Season at the Library
Break out your pumpkins and don your witch hats, it’s that time of year again. From scary stories to creepy crafts, the New Orleans Public Library has everything you need to make the most of spooky season.
Reading Recommendations
Looking for something festive to read this fall? Check out some of our staff recommendations below:
For ghost stories with local flair, head to the City Archives and Special Collections blog, where they set the historical record straight about mysterious and macabre New Orleans favorites, from the Axman to the Casket Girls.
Write Your Own
Help us celebrate the Halloween season by sharing your short but spooky tales. Accepted submissions will be shared on the Library website, and selected tales will be read aloud at our Oct. 22 event, Fright Night: An Evening of Terrifying Tales at Latter Library.
Two-sentence horror stories are just that – scary, spooky, spine-tingling tales told in just two sentences. Submissions that are shorter or longer than two sentences, or that include graphic violence, hate speech, or explicit sexual content will not be accepted.
See past examples below:
- “Look I’ll prove there isn’t a monster under your bed,” the father reassured his son as he stooped down to check. His heart froze as he locked eyes with his terrified boy underneath the bed, who whimpered, “There’s a monster in my bed, papa.”
- As I headed down Tulane Avenue, the voice on my GPS suddenly took on a mocking, almost menacing, tone. “Turn left,” it said.
- I kissed my husband goodnight and turned off the light, but he whispered “Can you check on the baby?” Then I heard his voice again, from the baby monitor, saying “Don’t go in there.”
- The bounce track blasting from my neighbor’s party had been looping the same beat for hours—until it suddenly stopped, and a raspy voice hissed, “Now you bounce.” My body started jerking to the rhythm against my will, feet slamming the floor in time with bass no one else could hear.
House of Schlock
Dr. M.A. Dewey has once again escaped his basement lair to dazzle audiences with more creepy tales and esoteric truths. Descended from the first librarian appointed in Alexandria by the Ptolemaic kings, Dr. M. A. Dewey has spent his life hidden away in a dark basement of a library near the French Quarter, toiling in secrecy to unravel the mystic secrets of library science and searching tirelessly for the one true classification system lost to the dark ages.
On Saturday, Oct. 17, Dr. Dewey will host a special screening of the 1988 cult classic, “Killer Klowns from Outer Space” at Smith Library from 2-4 p.m. Attendees will enjoy refreshments, trivia, lore, and more.
House of Schlock: Halloween Edition
Dr. M.A. Dewey will host a special Halloween screening of the 1988 cult classic "Killer Klowns from Outer Space," on Oct. 17 at Smith Library.
Dr. Dewey's Reading List
Check out these books to learn more about the history of b-movies with these picks from Dr. Dewey.
House of Schlock: Christmas in July
Dr. M.A. Dewey hides in his basement lair, watching Santa Claus Conquers the Martians.
Morgus the Magnificent
Morgus is shown in the French Quarter on Mardi Gras Day in 1959. Courtesy of Historic New Orleans Collection, the Franck-Bertacci Collection, via
Louisiana Digital Library
Dr. Dewey’s House of Schlock is inspired by the horror host genre pioneered by Vampira in the early 1950s and expanded by many hosts around the country like New Orleans’ own Morgus the Magnificent. Learn more about the history of this tradition here, or check out Dr. Dewey’s reading list to venture deeper into the House of Schlock:
- Yours Cruelly, Elvira: Memoirs of the Mistress of the Dark by Elvira
- A Sci Fi Swarm and Horror Horde: Interviews with 62 Filmmakers by Tom Weaver
- Return of the B Science Fiction and Horror Heroes: The Mutant Melding of 2 Classic Interviews by Tom Weaver
- TCM Underground: 50 Must See Films from the World of Classic Cult and Late-Night Cinema by Millie De Chirico
- Keep Watching the Skies: American Science Fiction Movies of the 50s by Bill Warren
Looking for More Spooky Suggestions?
Stop by any Library location for help finding the perfect Halloween read, or use our Find Your Next Read service to get a curated selection of spooky stories and chilling tales, based on your individual tastes.
Plus, a Library card unlocks access to movie streaming on Kanopy, where are REACH Center team put together a playlist of Black Gothic favorites for your viewing pleasure.
Kids can also pick up a Take & Make Craft Kit at all Library locations, while supplies last. This month, Take & Make Craft Kits have everything you need to make a fun monster friend out of toilet paper rolls. These monster rolls can be whatever you want them to be be—a mummy, a zombie, an alien, or something totally unique. Stop by any Library location to pick up your craft kit today.
October 16, 2026
No Comments
Every year since 2021, the Tulane University School of Liberal Arts’ Carole Barnette Boudreaux ’65 Great Writers Series has brought an internationally prominent writer to New Orleans for readings, lectures, events and panels. This fall, that author is Ocean Vuong.
October 9, 2026
No Comments
The New Orleans Public Library cut the ribbon at the Children’s Resource Center on Saturday (Oct. 3), unveiling a newly renovated space dedicated to supporting early learners and their caregivers.