Our Daily Show Interview! Lacy and Morgan: TONS OF FUN AT HAYNER!

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ALTON - The Hayner Public Library District has several exciting events planned for the next few weeks, including a ghost hunt in the library.

Hayner will be at the Mississippi Earthtones Festival from 12–6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. Morgan Berry and Lacy McDonald will be signing people up for library cards and helping kids complete a craft. They’ll also share a few examples from their Library of Things, including the popular ghost-hunting kit.

“I’ve had lots of fun with the ghost-hunting kit, even in the library,” Berry said.

She is especially looking forward to the “Haunted Hayner: History and Hauntings” event planned for 7 p.m. on Oct. 2, 2024. This event will discuss the history of Hayner and some of the hauntings that have been reported in the buildings.

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Hayner has partnered with Alton Odyssey Tours to co-host the event. Attendees will start in the Genealogy and Local History Library. They will use the ghost-hunting equipment to search for ghosts in the library.

“We’ve already done a walk-through test where we’ve had some interesting things happen already just when we’re walking through,” Berry said. “There’s going to be staff stationed at different points in the library sharing stories of stuff that staff and patrons have experienced.”

Attendees will be entered into a drawing for the chance to win two tickets to an Alton Odyssey tour, valued at about $100. There are only 40 spots available at “Haunted Hayner,” and attendees must register by calling 1-800-613-3163.

Also on Oct. 2, Hayner will host a lecture by Dee Kilgo at their Alton Square Mall location. From 6–7:30 p.m., Kilgo, a professor emerita at Illinois State University, will share information about the painting “American Gothic” by Grant Wood.

“She is really amazing about talking about the context of paintings,” McDonald said. “It won’t just be about the painting itself. It’ll be about what else is going on in that time period, what was affecting Grant Wood when he painted it, how it was perceived, all that stuff.”

This is Kilgo’s second lecture at Hayner, and McDonald said she is an “amazing” speaker. Registration is required and you can register by calling 1-800-613-3163.

For more information about Hayner Public Library District’s programs, events and resources, visit their official website at HaynerLibrary.org.

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