Emporia State University LI813
Hillary Raque Dodge

“Horror works because it pushes the boundaries of reality. It shows us the disturbing, the grotesque, and the gruesome - things that most people don’t want to talk about but that many want to explore. Horror novels succeed when they disturb our comfort level”
(Frolund, 2007, p.147).

 Strong setting
 Threatening or eerie atmosphere
 Plot-driven
 Supernatural elements or scientific errors
 Presence of evil

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Dracula by Bram Stoker
It by Stephen King
“The Legend of Sleepy
Hollow” by Washington
Irving
The Haunting of Hill
House by Shirley
Jackson.
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“I am Legend” by
Richard Matheson
The Amityville Horror by
Jay Anson
Jaws by Peter Benchley
The Exorcist by William
Peter Blatty

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Ghosts and Haunted
Houses
Mummies and Zombies
Vampires and
Werewolves
Demonic posession and
Witchcraft
Mythological Monsters and Ancient Ones
Small Town Horror
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Maniacs and Sociopaths
Technohorror
Ecohorror
Psychological Horror
Splatterpunk
Comic Horror
Everyday Horror
Classic Horror
Erotic Horror
Literary Horror

 Offers a sense of adventure and excitement.
 Safely explores the dark side of human nature.
 Allows readers to face their fears.
 Provides an escape from the real world.

“The mission of the Windsor-Severance Library
District is to provide access to quality library materials and information resources that address the needs and expand the aspirations of the community for lifelong learning, enrichment and pleasure. The staff and library board strive to provide this service in a friendly, open, and responsive manner”
(WSLD website).

 Overall Circulation Statistics (monthly):
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Children’s items: ~30%
Young Adult items: ~10%
Adult items: ~60%
 Horror Collection Statistics
 Since WSLD interfiles horror fiction and film with regular fiction and film, statistics are not available.

 Children - short stories and novels
 Monsters, Aliens, Ghosts, & Mummies.
 Young Adults - novels and films
 Vampires, demons, ghosts, & comic horror.
 Adults - short stories, novels, and films
 Vampires, zombies, serial killers, technohorror, classic horror, erotic horror, psychological horror, literary & comic horror.

W ants next book by same author
W ants next book in a series
W ants book on particular subject
W ants book of particular genre
W ants something different
Doesn't know what he/she wants
Goes straight to shelf
Uses PACs
Browses new shelf
Uses PACs
Browses new shelf
Browses displays
Asks Librarian for location, book order, or specific titles
Uses booklist or other reference tool
Asks librarian for location or call numbers
Uses booklist or other reference tool
Asks Librarian for suggestions
W anders in the stacks

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Increased circulation
Better reference interactions
Serendipity in the stacks
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Adding more titles would increase use both within the adult fiction and the horror fiction collections.
Adding more titles would round-out the poorly-developed horror collection.

 Reference
 1 reader’s advisory tool: Hooked on
Horror by Anthony J.
Fonseca (1999).
 Fiction
 Only the big names like King, Koontz, and Rice.
 Non-Fiction
 Scattered annual anthologies with years missing from the series

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1. Build the reference collection.
2. Fill in the fiction with missing classics and big names.
3. Round out the fiction with other selections that fall in line with subject matter that adults at WSLD borrow.
4. Clean up the non-fiction; Repair existing books that are worth keeping.
5. Complete anthologies that are worth keeping and order new material.

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Journals
 Weekly or monthly publications that usually highlight newly published or soon-to-be-published materials.
Reading guides
 Specifically written for librarians and patrons in mind, guides aid in evaluation of older materials, often grouping them together under sub-genre.
Genre Magazines
 Horror magazines provide the insider’s view of both older and newer materials.
Subject Encyclopedias
 Horror encyclopedias tend to be single-volume and focus on one aspect of the genre.

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Journal.
Published bimonthly by the
American Library
Association.
Contains articles, booklists, and extensive reviews.
Spotlights genres and areas of interest within each issue.
Aimed at public and school librarians.
QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor are needed to see this picture.
(Image from Booklist webpage)

Ott, B. (ed.). (2009, November 15).
Booklist, 106 (6). Chicago, IL: ALA.
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Currency:
 Because of its frequent publication, Booklist is current and reliable.
Organization:
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Features are scattered throughout the reviews.
The reviews comprise the majority of the content.
The reviews are presented in the following order:
Advance, Adult, Youth, Media, and Reference.
 Every issue of booklist contains a special section within the adult fiction reviews for horror fiction.

Hays, C. (2009, November 15). Horror reviews. Booklist , 106 (6), 24-25.
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Credentials:
 Like all reviewers for Booklist, Carl Hays was selected via a professional application process. He is a computer technician and technical writer and has been reviewing for
Booklist since 1992.
Relevance:
 While not comprehensive of the horror literature being published, Booklist does offer 3-10 horror reviews each issue.
 The reviews are well-written and contain a summary (or hook), a note on specific audience appeal, connections to sub-genres and well-known horror titles and authors, and the reviewer’s professional opinion.

Hays, C. (2009, November 15). Horror reviews. Booklist , 106 (6), 24-25.
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Uses:
 Librarians can use these reviews to select titles for addition to the collection.
 Librarians and patrons can use these reviews to match books to readers.
Add to library’s resources:
 Booklist is a good choice for libraries. Not only can it be used for acquisitions, but patrons could also benefit from perusing it.

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Journal.
Published weekly by Reed
Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.
Contains articles, bestseller charts, book reviews, and other business items relevant to the publishing business.
Aimed at publishers, booksellers, librarians, and other professionals in the book business.
QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor are needed to see this picture.
(Image from Publishers Weekly webpage)

Publishers Weekly. (2009, November 16).
Publishers Weekly, 256 (46). New York, NY:
Reed Business Information.
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Currency:
 PW is the most current of the review journals available. Pre-pub alerts are also provided.
Organization:
 Each issues opens with publishing business articles and items. Then the bestseller charts and feature articles are found. Those are followed by the reviews in the following order: adult fiction, adult nonfiction, and children’s books.
 Within the adult fiction reviews, sub-categories of poetry, mystery, SF/Fantasy/Horror, mass market, and comics are found.

Publishers Weekly. (2009, November 16).
Publishers Weekly, 256 (46). New York, NY:
Reed Business Information.
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Credentials:
 PW reviews in the horror section are written by more than one individual. PW reviewers are subjected to an application and screening process before they are published.
Relevance:
 Because PW lumps horror together with Science
Fiction and Fantasy, there are often fewer horror reviews per issue and the reviews require some knowledge of the horror genre to navigate successfully.

Publishers Weekly. (2009, November 16).
Publishers Weekly, 256 (46). New York, NY:
Reed Business Information.
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Uses:
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When kept in public libraries, PW draws published and would-be authors to the stacks. PW are invaluable resources for those wishing to learn more about the publishing business.
Librarians can use PW for selection and readers advisory.
 Patrons can use PW for book selection.
Add to library’s resources:
 PW is an excellent addition to the library’s professional journals. Although costly, it has many benefits.

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Reading guide.
There are three books in this series, focusing on horror books published within certain time ranges.
Aimed at librarians, patrons, and horror fans.
QuickTi me™ and a
TIFF ( Uncompressed) decompressor are needed to see thi s pi ctur e.
(Image from Libraries Unlimited webpage)

Fonseca, A. and Pulliam, J. (2009). Hooked on horror III: A guide to reading interests.
Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.
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Currency :
 With every edition that is printed, the authors strive to include an exhaustive list of the horror literature currently available. They do not include items that are out of print; users should consult earlier editions for hard-to-find items.
Organization :
 Each chapter begins with a critical introduction and then moves alphabetically by author through the materials within its subgenre and aspects.
 Each entry is composed of publication information (publisher, year, ISBN), a summary, a list of similar titles, and a list of related subject headings.

Fonseca, A. and Pulliam, J. (2009). Hooked on horror III: A guide to reading interests.
Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.
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Credentials:
 Fonseca is the Head of Serials/Electronic
Resources at Nicholls State University in Louisiana.
He is a regular contributor to professional journals and reference guides. He also wrote the two previous editions of this book. Pulliam, co-author, of all three titles as well, is an English instructor.
Relevance:
 This book is as relevant as it gets. It is also the most comprehensive of the horror guides on the market. It includes listings for fiction, film, anthologies, collections, readers guides, reference books, history, criticism, and periodicals.

Fonseca, A. and Pulliam, J. (2009). Hooked on horror III: A guide to reading interests.
Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.
 Uses:
 Librarians can use this guide to assess the currency of their horror collection.
 Patrons can utilize it to find materials within their specific horror subgenre and aspect interests.
 Add to library’s resources:
 This is clearly a no-brainer. reader’s guide available.
Hooked on Horror III is the most comprehensive and easily usable

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Reading guide.
A website created by a team of librarians.
The mission of the
Monster Librarian is to provide readers advisory and collection development support to public, school, and academic librarians.
QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor are needed to see this picture.
(Image from Monster Librarian webpage)

Monster Librarian. (2009). www.monsterlibrarian.com
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Currency:
 Since the Monster Librarian is a volunteer-based team, the currency of its contents tends to fluctuate. New releases and pre-pub reviews are not one of its strengths.
Organization:
 The website is organized via links occupying the left-hand column of all sub-pages. The site is divided into adult, teen, and kid reviews. It also contains additional resources for librarians, author interviews, and horror fiction news.

Monster Librarian. (2009). www.monsterlibrarian.com
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Credentials:
 The Monster Librarians are a diverse team of librarians from different types of libraries across the country. They represent public, school, and academic libraries and come from a range of experience including readers advisors, managers, and library school students.
Relevance:
 The reviews are written with the librarian in mind, first and foremost. They will often make suggestions for the best locations and reader appeal for the books they review.

Monster Librarian. (2009). www.monsterlibrarian.com
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Uses:
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The Monster Librarians serve as excellent consultants when evaluating material.
The website is easy for both librarians and patrons to peruse.
Add to library’s resources:
 The website is free to access and the librarians are quick to respond to emails. The web address could be advertised to patrons via the library’s website, booklists, and readers advisory services.

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Genre magazine.
A horror literary magazine published six times a year.
Contains short stories, novellas, articles, and regular columns.
Aimed at horror fans.
QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor are needed to see this picture.
(Image from Cemetery Dance website)

Chizmar, R. (ed.). (2009). Cemetery
Dance, 60. Forest Hill, MD: Cemetery
Dance Publications.
 Currency:
 This magazine is not particularly known for its currency as it is often off its production schedule.
However, it more than makes up for currency with the quality of its contents.
 Organization:
 Key interviews proceed the literary content, and columns, while scattered, are denser towards the rear.
 Ads consist of publisher and author spots.

Chizmar, R. (ed.). (2009). Cemetery
Dance, 60. Forest Hill, MD: Cemetery
Dance Publications.
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Credentials:
 All CD contributors are considerably well-known authors and publishing professionals in the field.
CD prides itself on the highest quality content.
Relevance:
 Key columns include: “From the Dead Zone,” a regular column on King and his works,
“Mediadrome” consisting of film reviews,
“Collecting Modern Horror,” a regular literary criticism column, and “CD Reviews,” a considerable collection of reviews on books, videos, software, etc.

Chizmar, R. (ed.). (2009). Cemetery
Dance, 60. Forest Hill, MD: Cemetery
Dance Publications.
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Uses:
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The regular columns provide excellent insight into the genre and its magnates.
Librarians can use it as a selection tool and patrons can discover new authors within its pages.
Add to library’s resources:
 This would be a great addition to the periodicals collection in any library. Not only is the literature high-quality, but it contains other valuable information about the genre.

 Genre magazine.
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Published bimonthly.
Heavy coverage of horror media such as film and audio.
 Aimed at horror fans, specifically fans of horror film.
QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor are needed to see this picture.
(Image from Rue Morgue webpage)

Vuckovic, J. (2009). Rue Morgue: Horror in culture & entertainment. Toronto, ON:
Marrs Media Inc.
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Currency:
 Rue Morgue is published once a month. Its feature articles usually contain information about modern film while its columns usually focus on older material.
Organization:
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Feature articles are towards the front and regular columns and reviews are towards the rear.
Ads are composed of products, film and book spots, and upcoming conventions.

Vuckovic, J. (2007, Jan/Feb). Rue
Morgue: Horror in culture & entertainment, 64. Toronto, ON: Marrs
Media Inc.
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Credentials:
 Contributors must go through a submissions and evaluation process.
Relevance:
 Regular columns include: “Cinemacabre,” reviewing recent film releases, “Reissues,” reviewing older films,
“Cinemarquee,” reviewing vintage films, “Blood in Four
Colors,” reviewing recent graphic novels and comics, “The
Ninth Circle,” reviewing recent books, and “Audio Drome,” reviewing horror audio including music, audio books, and soundtracks.

Vuckovic, J. (2007, Jan/Feb). Rue
Morgue: Horror in culture & entertainment, 64. Toronto, ON: Marrs
Media Inc.
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Uses:
 This magazine will clearly draw the eye of horror film fans.
It is a natural bridge from watching films to seeking out literature.
 Librarians should be discerning when using RM to select titles to add to the collection. RM’s reviews tend to have a graphic-content slant.
Add to library’s resources:
 This is one of the only sources that provides reviews on horror media materials. It also does a fairly good job of covering the latest horror films. It should be noted, however, that the content can often be quite graphic.

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Subject encyclopedia.
Contains a comprehensive list of horror films from
1919 through the nineties.
Aimed at horror and film fans.
QuickTi me™ and a
T IFF (Unc om pres s ed) dec om pres s or are needed to s ee t his pic t ure.
(Image from Amazon webpage)

Mayo, M. (1998). Videohound’s Horror Show:
999 hair-raising, hellish, and humorous movies.
London, England: Visible Ink Press.
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Currency:
 This book does not cover any material from late
1998 to the present. It is exhaustive, however, in its listing of films since 1919.
Organization:
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It is organized alphabetically by title. There are also several indices in the back by alternative title, cast, director, category, and distributor.
Each entry contains: a synopsis and review, release information (rating, director, cast, distributor, etc), and a rating based on
Videohound’s system.

Mayo, M. (1998). Videohound’s Horror Show:
999 hair-raising, hellish, and humorous movies.
London, England: Visible Ink Press.
 Credentials:
 The author bases his work on the collective experience of the Videohound team.
 Relevance:
 All titles imaginable are included here, even ones meriting a “one bone” rating by the Videohound’s team.
 Since the listings are so exhaustive, the category index is extremely useful.

Mayo, M. (1998). Videohound’s Horror Show:
999 hair-raising, hellish, and humorous movies.
London, England: Visible Ink Press.
 Uses:
 As an encyclopedia of reviews, this book would assist both the librarian for collection development and the patron for viewing suggestions.
 Add to library’s resources:
 This is a irreplaceable addition to any library collection. It clearly works best as a reference tool rather than a joy-reading item and is one of the most comprehensive of its kind.

 By adding these tools to a library’s collection and utilizing them in the selection of additional materials, the librarian can successfully meet the adult horror audience’s needs.

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Amazon.com. (2009). Accessed website on 12/6/09: www.amazon.com
Booklist. (2009). Accessed website on 12/6/09: www.booklistonline.com
Chizmar, R. (2009). Cemetery Dance, 60. Forest Hill, MD. Cemetery
Dance Publications.
Ott, B (ed.). (2009, November 15). Booklist , 106 (6). Chicago, IL:
ALA.
Fonseca, A. and Pulliam, J. (2009). Hooked on horror III: A guide to reading interests.
Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.
Frolund, T. (2007). Chapter 5: Horror. In, Genrefied classics: A guide to reading interested in classic literature pp.147 - 160). Westport,
Connecticut: Libraries Unlimited.
Libraries Unlimited. (2009). Accessed website on 12/3/09: http://lu.com/showbook.cfm?isbn=9781591585404

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Mayo, M. (1998). Videohound’s Horror Show: 999 hair-raising, hellish, and humorous movies.
London, England: Visible Ink Press.
Monster Librarian. (2009). Accessed website on 12/2/09: www.monsterlibrarian.com
Publishers Weekly. (2009). Accessed website on 12/4/09: www.publishersweekly.com
Publishers Weekly. (2009, November 16). Publishers Weekly, 256
(46). New York, NY: Reed Business Information.
Rue Morgue Magazine. (2009). Accessed website on 12/1/09: www.rue-morgue.com
Vuckovic, J. (2007, Jan/Feb). Rue Morgue: Horror in culture & entertainment, 64. Toronto, ON: Marrs Media Inc.
Windsor-Severance Library District. (2009). Accessed website on
12/5/09: www.wsld.info