“It’s out of paper!” You scream in terror as your printer (leisurely printing your homework), grinds to a stop. You look around, but there is no extra paper to be found. These days, a simple run to the office supply store can solve your paper needs. However, paper has not always been as accessible.

In the 19th Century, letter-writing was a surprisingly expensive task. Producing paper was not cheap, and buying quality paper came at a cost. Early in the century, postmasters began charging for distance traveled and the weight of paper. Combine the price of paper with the budding idea of paying for postage – writing to loved-ones suddenly became a line item in the family budget. This added expense led many to find ways to save on paper.

As summer winds to a close and a chill slowly begins to creep into the air we approach my favorite time of year, Fall and the Halloween season! From a young age I’ve always loved Halloween and all things spooky and working in a library gives me the perfect opportunity to share my passion with our patrons of all ages...you’re never too young or old to get into a fiendishly festive mood whether it’s October or not! I’ve put together a libguide (a sort of library research guide) specifically for Halloween and horror books broken down by age range and type that you can browse at guides.hmcpl.org/horror [1]. Some of my favorite reads are on the quirky side of horror with a dash of humor and 80’s nostalgia. Here are some of my all time favorites…