Library Night with
First in Fright

Program Plan & Outline

Bethany M, Wyrick

October 2021

Event Date: Saturday, Oct 23, 2021

Event Time: 7:00 PM - 9:30 PM

Program Summary

Participants will have the opportunity to meet the First in Fright Paranormal Team, learn about some of their experiences and equipment, then join them on a late-night investigation of the Lincoln County Public Library.

Background &
Community Analysis

For this program proposal, the Lincoln County Public Library will partner with the First in Fright Paranormal Team. As Halloween is right around the corner, the timing for this program couldn't be better. Lincoln County is located in the Piedmont region of North Carolina. The area is a suburban rural mix. Formed in 1779, it was named for Revolutionary War General, Benjamin Lincoln. This community already has a very active interest in history and the paranormal, and according to locals, many of the historical buildings are supposedly haunted. There is even an annual Ghost Walk where community members post as ghosts of early Lincolnton settlers to tell the story of the Battle of Ramsour's Mill in 1780.

While they are based in Hickory, First in Fright has developed quite a fan base in the Lincolnton. The paranormal team has cultivated a solid relationship with the Lincoln Cultural Center, conducting frequent investigations there as well as several other local businesses and even the Lincoln County Fire Department. They have co-sponsored multiple events together that raised funds for the Cultural Center. FiFP has been featured in numerous local news articles and the team is very highly regarded in the community. Considering this solid existing foundation, the Lincoln County Public Library will benefit greatly with a similar type of partnership. We are also at that unique time of year where people are most interested in the paranormal and supernatural, so the program will appeal to a wide audience. It fits right in with the Halloween theme and will compliment other adult programs like the Pumpkin Carving and Step-by-Step Pumpkin Painting offered at the Lincoln County Public Library. I propose that this program be held outdoors on the library lawn to give participants enough space to socially distance as they participate. Masks are recommended but not required.

85% White

7% Hispanic or Latino

5% African American

2% two or more races

1% Asian

Median income:

$71,514

Population:

86,111

Median age:

44 years old

Purpose

The main goal for this program is community engagement: it will allow community members with similar interests in the paranormal to meet one another and share their experiences. Another goal is to educate the public: they will gain knowledge about various types of paranormal investigating equipment, learn how they operate, and participate in hands-on demonstrations. For the FiFP team, paranormal investigating is a very exciting hobby. They are always eager to share and offer advice to anyone interested in starting up for themselves. Finally, members will get to experience and participate in an actual investigation of the library with the team, so based on whether anything paranormal is discovered during this program, it could be a learning experience for us all!

Target Audience
& Marketing

The target audience for this program will be adults 18+. This is primarily due to the subject matter and late hours. Some of the material may be scary for children, which could be potentially disruptive to the rest of the group. According to FiFP, their audience typically skews female with most between the ages of 25-45, so this program should aim for something similar. Adults are most likely to be familiar with the town's history and most have transportation to and from the library for the event. Registration should be required in order to help library staff have a better idea of attendance. Since this is a first-time program, I propose we cap attendance at 50 for now. Then based on attendance and success of the program, this could potentially be increased.

Youth Services Librarian Jeanie Johnston planned a similar program for teens at her library in Hailey, Idaho that had great success: ninety participants! Lorain Public Library in Ohio held a Facebook Live event where their library was investigated by the Tri-C Ghost Hunters. Outreach Librarian Carolyn Elkort planned An Evening with Spirits of New England Paranormal Society where participants got to interact with their local paranormal team and discuss books and local history. LCPL could plan and structure similar programs for other target audiences like children and teens in the future. That being said, current marketing efforts should be geared towards adults. The program is planned for a Saturday and hopefully this will not interfere with as many work schedules. It will begin at 7:00 PM to give families enough time to have dinner, then the program will conclude at 9:30 PM. I would love to have books pulled for a small display to promote the program. I also asked each FiFP member their favorite book so we can create a "Team Member's Pick" book display. This will hopefully lead to increased interest and use of library materials.

Announcement and promotional posts across LCPL social media pages and on the main library website
FiFP is popular on social media and could promote the program on their own platforms
- Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, Instagram, and their personal website
Program flyers posted in the library, various local businesses, and the Lincoln Cultural Center (with permission)
Program announcement on the local radio station
One participant will win a free shirt and an autographed poster from the FiFP team

FiFP Member Picks

Ryan Burleson

Alex Gaddy

Andy Burleson

Carol Humbert

Jeremy Humbert

The Hauntings of Everyday Life

by Dennis Waskal and Michele Waskal

Hatchet

by Gary Paulsen

by Stephen King

The Shining

by Stephen King

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark

by Alvin Schwartz

Program Plan Outline

Welcome and brief introduction for the program and FiFP team; snacks and drinks available for everyone
FiFP will talk about their process, responsibilities, and discuss some of their past investigations
Paranormal investigating equipment will be on display at various stations; team members will explain in detail how each device operates and will demonstrate for the group; patrons can also touch and test the devices themselves
The team will show video/photo/audio evidence they have captured during past investigations
Q&A session with FiFP
Patrons and team members will break out into five groups for a late-night investigation of the library building
After the investigation, everyone will return as a whole group to share final thoughts, ask any questions, and discuss any evidence they may have found
Conclude the program; thank both the team and patrons for coming and invite them back for future programs

Budget

This program is fairly low-budget. The team does not require payment for this event and the library will not have to purchase any special equipment since FiFP will bring their own, which allows us to allocate funds for other areas. The team has volunteered to provide speakers and an outdoor movie screen. They will be donating an official FiFP t-shirt and autographed poster to the winner of a drawing. We will budget to print a larger promotional poster to display in the library. Refreshments will be provided for the group (glazed doughnuts, both regular and decaf coffee, and water). We will need disposable cups, sugar, and coffee creamer.

Marketing

Refreshments

Personnel/Staff Time

Total Program

$120.00

$10.00

-

$130.00

Program Budget

Planning, marketing, and outdoor setup/seating arrangements will be completed during normal work hours. One salaried staff member will stay with the group for the duration of the program. Funds for this program will be used from the Programming budget. For future programs, the library may need to update or purchase their own audio equipment and possibly a projector screen. Based on anticipated attendance, most of the budget is going towards refreshments, which would be increased for a larger audience.

Program
Evaluation

To make it as easy as possible for patrons, I created a survey that can be accessed via QR code. The code can be printed and posted at the event for patrons to scan directly from their smart phones. This method is environmentally friendly and super convenient for both staff and patrons, plus the data is collected electronically on SurveyKing. A survey link can also be distributed by e-mail. This program evaluation survey will give us insights regarding patron satisfaction with the program, as well as any recommendations participants may have for future programming. For incentive, everyone who completes the survey can be entered into an additional drawing to win a t-shirt and poster.