COCHRANE— Just in time for the spookiest season of the year, the Cochrane Public Library released a ghost hunting kit as a part of its growing collection of items in the Library of Things.
The Library of Things is a free-to-use collection of everything from games and puzzles, to garden and power tools.
Andrea Johnston, the community outreach and program librarian at the Cochrane Public Library said the ghost hunting kit has proven to be very popular.
“It has gone out a couple of times, and we have nine people on the waiting list to check it out,” she said. “We put it out on the shelf and we haven’t seen it back.”
She noted that she has not heard from any of the ghost hunters who have checked the kit out whether or not they have caught a ghost, but she is excited by the possibility.
“Hopefully we’ll get some great stories back,” she said. “We would love to hear from our patrons if they found something or if they had their own experience— We love stories like that. Call in, tell us your story.”
The ghost hunting kit has a few items included in it— An audio recorder, a video recorder with night vision and an EMF detector.
Johnston, a long-time paranormal enthusiast, said she chose the items to include in the kit and was inspired by shows like Ghost Hunters, where the hosts break down the equipment they’re using.
“I did a little more research on what are the really essential ones without getting into complicated equipment,” she said. “I just wanted something simple, something easy to use, that ghost hunters use in the field all the time.”
The library released a promotional video on its YouTube page, which has instructions on how to use the kit.
Cochrane has a rich history of spooky sightings and ghost stories.
When Johnston first began with the Cochrane Public Library, she said, she invited a member of the Cochrane Historic Archival Preservation Society to discuss the hot spots in town.
One of the stories the representative mentioned was at the old location Cochrane Public Library near the base of Big Hill, Johnston said.
Staff of the old library used to report missing or moved items, noises with no source and other ghostly activity.
When they tore down the old library and excavated the area, human remains were found on-site, Johnston said.
To celebrate the launch of the Ghost Hunting Kit, Cochrane Public Library hosted a spooky writing competition.
Open to all ages, the library accepted submissions of spooky stories to celebrate the Halloween season.
Writers were asked to submit a fictional story, an informational report or a poem to enter to win one of four author-signed copies of Canadian ghost stories.
Up for grabs were Ghost Stories of Saskatchewan 3 by Jo-Anne Christensen, Journeys into the Unknown by Richard Palmisano, Haunted Canada 10 by Joel A. Sutherland, and Haunted Canada: The Second Terrifying Collection by Joel A. Sutherland.
The deadline for stories closed on Oct. 26 at 6 p.m. Winners will be announced on Oct. 30.
