A Specter in the Stacks

Submitted by Jessica Giles

Something has made its presence known at the Sharon Forks Library near the nonfiction section. While working on the pull list or shelving books, staff has heard the echo of a name...Alice. Who is this apparition, and why is she here?

We have some theories. Tell us yours in the comments!

Written by Shelika Jain

Alice haunts the library, a cold presence in the air. Fifty years ago, she vanished between the shelves, her body found days later, clutching a book that no longer exists. Now, shadows twist in corners, and whispers rise from forgotten pages. At night, the air turns heavy, and lights flicker as her ghost drifts through the aisles, searching, always searching. The unlucky who stay too late hear the scrape of her nails on wood, feel her icy breath behind them, as she rasps, “Where is it?” No one knows what she’s looking for—or what happens when she finds it.

Written by Brooke Rose

Alice got old. And as elderly people often do, she reminisced about the wondrous adventures of her youth. No one believes her tales, but she knows they’re true…that she’s more than a character in a children’s novel. She started visiting the public library, reading the stories of other “characters,” and wondering how much of their stories are true. Then she started watching and listening to the staff and patrons around her. They all have their own fantastical stories. The Library fulfills her desires in a way Wonderland never could—with its own quirky characters—and Alice will never leave. We’re all mad here.

Written by Lola Nichols

Alice was a common fixture, seen in Cumming, GA for most of her life walking around town, at the monthly farmers market, and wandering the country roads. Her life was tragically cut short, a mystery which will never be solved. She is seen wandering the stacks at Sharon Forks whenever the moon reaches its closest pass by the Earth, known as the supermoon. Alice has been known to re-sort the non-fiction area on ghosts at random times during the year.

Written by Alicia Cavitt

Her name is Alice, and she's been browsing the stacks at Sharon Forks Library since 2009, looking for interesting books to read and reread. On Earth, Alice's to-be-read pile always exceeded her time to read. After her peaceful passing, Alice enjoys unlimited time to read by hanging out at the Sharon Forks Library where there's cozy seating and book on every topic imaginable. Keep an eye out for Alice in the stacks at Sharon Forks Library, and if you spot an interesting book on an empty seat, it just might be one of Alice's recent reads.

Written by Ian Afflerbach

It used to be so quiet here. Now every day they’re loose, shifting the furniture around just outside my vision. I miss the days when this was all mine, every shelf and chair. Now, every night, I have to put all the furniture back where it belongs, knowing they’ll be back next morning. Whispering and snickering behind the doors. Leaving their crumbs behind. I wonder if they ever think about who keeps this place running.  Maybe they can’t think at all. Just shifting patches of sound and light, stepping through, briefly, before they go back to that other place.

Written by Britt Poteet

The library was nearly deserted, aside from a few high school students meandering around. It was closing time, and as the lingering patrons made their way to the front doors, a low cry was heard from the nonfiction stacks. A librarian cautiously walked back to the shelves, nervous she would find a child missing their parents. When she arrived at the stacks, however, all the rows were empty aside from a book on the floor. She put the book back and walked to the next row, only to hear a dull thud. Retracing her steps, the same book was on the floor, as though she had never picked it up. Curious, she read the front cover and found it was a book about manners and etiquette. Looking around, she found no reason for the book to fall, and carefully placed it back on the shelf. She withdrew a few paces, only to hear the sound again. At this point, the librarian was starting to suspect a patron was hiding somewhere. Stepping delicately so the prankster wouldn’t hear her, she peered down each stack, only to find them vacant. Frustrated, the librarian picked up the book, and seeing it was open on the floor to a page about volume etiquette, she chuckled out loud. Suddenly, there was a loud shushing sound from behind her. She snapped her head up and found a ghostly figure at the back of the row of books, holding a finger to her pale lips. The ghost shushed the librarian again before dissipating. The librarian froze in disbelief. It seems even ghosts don’t like to hear noise at the library. 

Inspiration of Alice

Inspiration for this display is a two-part story. When I was assigned a display in October, I immediately knew I had to figure out how to create the Library ghost from Ghostbusters. As I was on the hunt for a halfway decent picture that wasn’t grainy due to the quality of the 1980s film, I found myself reminiscing about another library ghost. Before joining FCPL, I worked at the Walton-DeFuniak Library, which is located in a small town in the Florida Panhandle. The library opened its doors December 1887 and is known as the oldest circulating library in the state. On one of my first days, the director (who has since retired) shared the story of Alice. Alice Fellows was part of the Ladies Library Association, who held fundraiser events for funds to open a library. She was a member from 1894, became the first paid librarian, and continued to hold the position until 1926 when she died from influenza. She was said to be a strict woman who dedicated herself to the library, never having been married or having children. It is rumored that she is still keeping a stern watch over the library. Experiences include strange noises, footsteps, the front door opening by itself, lights turning off, and books falling off the shelves. It has been reported that an apparition can sometimes be spotted as well. Though we did not advertise publicly at the time of Alice’s presence, in the past couple of years more articles have been written about her in local papers. Though I never experienced any of these occurrences that I could not rationalize to the age of the building, I had a few conversations with visitors who openly shared with me that they were mediums and that they sensed a presence. 

While you are attending Staff Day, wander down the nonfiction aisles and maybe, just maybe, Alice will share her story with you. If so, make sure to add it to the comments.