Episode 13: Grey Lady of Willard Library Transcript

Hello, welcome to Books in the Wild, the podcast about book arts and book history. I’m Keri Schroeder. It has been quite awhile since our last episode. And well, it is now 2020. And though I have a lot to say about the state of the world right now, I will spare everyone and instead offer some book-related stories. And if you are listening to this in the future, and it is no longer 2020. Don’t look back. Zero stars. Do not recommend. 

But right now it is October, which means Halloween is upon us! So for the next few episodes, or until I get sick of Halloween, so maybe forever, I would like to share some book related spooky stories for your bibliophilic enjoyment. Today’s episode is about the famously haunted Willard Library, and a talk with the Library’s Director Greg Hager.

And now I recommend cozying up in your favorite spot, turning off the lights, and get ready for a good old fashioned ghost story. Tonight, submitted for the approval of the Midnight Society, I call this story “The Grey Lady of Willard Library”. 

Willard Library is a private donation library located in Evansville, Indiana. The library opened in 1885 after nearly a decade of various setbacks, and is the oldest public library in the state. First breaking ground in 1876, the library’s founder, Willard Carpenter, an agent of the Underground Railroad, a staunch abolitionist and philanthropist, was so determined to finish the building that he supervised construction himself and even brought in wheelbarrows of bricks and worked alongside laborers when he was well into his late 70’s, much to his family’s chagrin. Willard Carpenter decreed that the library was intended “for the use of the people of all classes, races, and sexes, free of charge forever.”

The library is built in a Victorian Gothic Revival style, with a central tower, steeped roofs, ornamental gables, and gothic arches, with an imposing interior and grand staircase to greet visitors at the entrance.

That is to say, Willard Library is a lovely building with all the aesthetics for a haunting. 

It all begins on a dreary gray winter morning in 1937 in Evansville, one of those old-fashioned Americana towns back in the times where the world was in sepia. The library custodian approaches the dark, imposing building for an early day’s work. It’s 3 am, the witching hour. He hesitates briefly at the entrance, looking up at the library’s towering facade. Was that a silhouette in the window? Was his mind playing tricks on him? He brushed it off, and reached for the cold brass door handle. The turn of the key in the heavy doors makes a pronounced hollow clank sound that he hears pulse within the building. There seems to be an extra chill in the air this morning but again, he shakes it off, and steps inside the dark gaping maw of the library’s lobby. How is it colder inside than out, he wonders. The tall narrow angles of the space casts menacing shadows along the walls. As his eyes adjusts to the dim light, he swears the shadows seem to retreat to the corners whenever he tries to focus on them, skittering away like insects from a light. He collects himself and steps forward. This was no time for silly mind-games, he has work to do before the library opens.  

Time for the first task of the day - lighting the furnace to heat the building. Which of course is located in the basement. 

He braces himself, and grabs a flashlight to illuminate his descent down the pitch black stairwell.

And as an aside for the nerd friends who might be listening, yes they had flashlights in the 1930s - no, i didn’t know either, and of course it sent me on a detour from writing this story so I could read about the history of flashlights. The flashlight was invented in 1899 by David Misell from England. The original design housed batteries in a paper tube that acted as a handle and lit a small incandescent bulb. It was called a “flash light” because it would flash on and off due to the inconsistent current of the batteries at the time. My apologies for getting off track to those not into flashlight history.

So, he braces himself, and grabs a flashlight to illuminate his descent down the pitch black stairwell. The dim warm light flickers as he descends further into the basement, step by step, long shadows spill from the banisters onto the wood paneled wall. He keeps his gaze on his feet, careful to mind his step lest he go stumbling into the library’s abyss. Step, by step...He notices a peculiar scent in the area, lilac, or perhaps lavender. His senses are hyper-aware now, overwhelmed with the floral perfume, and a walking into sudden brisk chill that caused his breath to come out like fog. He picks up his pace, eager to get the furnace lit and move on with the day’ work. Step by Step.  Nearing the basement floor now, the man nearly bumps into a figure of a woman wearing a long dress standing, or is she floating? On the stairwell. He looks up slowly, his flashlight trembling and flickering and seeming to shine through her. As his gaze met her face, which was covered in a grey veil, the woman vanished, fading back into the darkness of the basement. 

This was the first known sighting of the grey lady, but certainly not the last. There have been sightings of the grey lady for decades from employees and patrons alike. Willard Library is often featured as one of the most haunted libraries in the world, and has been a site for numerous paranormal investigations. Though the grey lady is the most common apparition in the library, there have been sightings of several different ghostly figures, as well all an assortment of paranormal activity such as books flying off of shelves, water faucets and lights being turned on and off by themselves, cold spots, and failing electrical equipment. 

There are even ghost cams showing the library’s haunted hotspots, where you can watch for spooky activity 24 hours a day. Just search Willard Library Ghost Cam to see it for yourself, and I will post links in the show notes. And what better time than now to become a virtual ghost hunter? 

And now here to give us the inside spook on these ghastly tales, the director of Willard Library, Greg Hager.

**** Interview not yet transcribed***

For more information on the Willard Library and the Grey Lady, you can visit: willard.lib.in.us - I will also post links in the show notes. And thank you to Greg Hager for being so generous with his time.

As always, for more information about Books in the Wild, you can visit booksinthewild.com, or on Instagram at Books in the Wild Podcast, or to follow me and my books I’m at coyote bones press. 

Thank you for listening, and wishing you all safety and sanity in these crazy times.