Social: Macabre Marvels in the Stacks—Inspiration From SFPL's Hidden Books

Thursday, 10/22/2026
6:00 - 7:30

Suitable for:

Adults
All Ages

For one night in October, the Library opens its vaults. Explore rarely accessible, reference-only books containing masks, costumes and creepy images, where you'll find inspiration for your Halloween costume, art, or daily aesthetic.

Collections to Explore

Masks
Costumes
Gargoyles/monsters
Frightening landscapes
... and more!

Flip through books, photograph, copy or sketch your favorite pages, and talk with enthusiasts and librarians about creative process and responsible use of reference material.

Creative Arts

Exercise your power of imagination with programs that encourage hands-on projects for adults. For craft programs, all materials are provided, unless noted.

Art, Architecture & Photography

Learn from world-class designers, artists and experts in their fields.

Spotlight

This program is sponsored by Friends of the San Francisco Public Library.

Attending Programs

All programs are drop-in (no registration necessary) unless otherwise noted. All SFPL locations are wheelchair accessible. For accommodations (such as ASL), call (415) 557-4557 or contact accessibility@sfpl.org. Requesting at least 3 business days in advance will help ensure availability.

This program will be conducted in English unless otherwise noted.

Notice: This event may be filmed or photographed. By participating in this event, you consent to have your likeness used for the Library’s archival purposes and promotional materials. If you do not want to be photographed, please inform a staff person or the photographer. A sticker will be provided to help identify you so that we can avoid capturing your image.

Public Notice and Disclaimer

This program uses a third-party website link. By clicking on the third-party website link, you will leave SFPL's website and enter a website not operated by SFPL. This service may collect personally identifying information about you, such as name, username, email address, and password. This service will treat the information it collects about you pursuant to its own privacy policy. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of each third-party website or service that you visit or use, including those third parties with whom you interact through our Library services. For more information about these third-party links, please see the section of SFPL’s Privacy Policy describing Links to Other Sites.

The views and opinions expressed in programs presented by groups unaffiliated with SFPL do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SFPL or the City.