Go to your nearest Beaufort County library for a real scare

Do you celebrate Halloween? Many families do; some do not. Halloween has a rich multicultural history. It can be said to be a blending of celebrations marking the end of growing season and declaring the coming of winter months. By the 19th century, most of the religious aspects of the Halloween celebration dwindled, and it mostly became a gathering of community and a time of celebrating and fun. Scary stories and movies are a part of the fun in the celebrations. Our libraries are full of materials for your horror needs. Put some scare into your Halloween. We have a great selection of DVDs.

We say that we don't like to be afraid, but is that really true? Scary movies are among the most popular genres. Could this be because of the cocktail of hormones and neurotransmitters that our brains seem to enjoy? They put us in the mood at Halloween (actually, they are popular all year long).

"The Descent" takes place at an annual caving trip gone bad when a rockslide blocks the girl's exit to the surface. The scenery in the underground cave is spooky. The movie depicts a horrific underground journey and portrays a descent into human madness.

If you like to travel, you might like some hotel-centered horror movies. "Psycho" is a top favorite for most horror fans. The plot seems simple: woman steals money, runs away to motel in the middle of nowhere, then the fun begins. "The Shining" is also a classic horror film. When you think of scary hotels, what could be scarier than being trapped in a hotel all winter and being chased by a deranged Jack Nicholson? The movie "Vacancy" is quite the scary movie because it could happen in real life. How many times have we crashed at a motel after a long trip?

"Hostel" is a gruesome tale set in Slovakia (and not for the faint of heart). "1408" is based on a story by Stephen King. In this movie, a man who has a career in investigating haunted houses decides to spend a night in the Dolphin Hotel in New York, which houses the infamous room 1408. Despite repeated warnings, he chooses to stay in this room where 56 people have died. It's very scary, with a surprise ending.

Do you love a good ghost story? Are you obsessed with hearing about spooky happenings that have occurred over time? Do you feel a kinship with spirits? You might need to take a trip to experience some of the most epic haunted hotels across America.

Do you love to feel those chills when someone or something enters a room, hearing the creaks and moans of the floorboards? Check out some books on the subject. "Haunted Savannah," by Georgia R. Byrd and "Charleston Ghosts," by Margaret Martin may be ones you want to take a look at. Our travel section contains titles on many geographic areas. "A Ghost in My Suitcase: A Guide to Haunted Travel in America," by Mitchel Whitington; "Haunted Cemeteries," by Edrick Thay; and "Travel Guide to Haunted Houses," by Hans Holzer are a few that are available. Stop by the reference desk at your local library and a librarian can show you websites and other materials available.

Enjoy the wide variety of Halloween programs at our libraries. Check out www.beaufortcountylibrary.org for events near you.

Mary Jo Berkes is the branch manager of the Hilton Head Island library.

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This story was originally published October 25, 2014 at 4:00 PM with the headline "Go to your nearest Beaufort County library for a real scare."