Wrapped up in a mystery two weeks before Halloween, librarian Chelsea Hamilton has selected and completely covered books in hopes of finding a book a bit more spooky. 

“I wanted students to pick up books not based on what genre they were in or what the covers looked like, but just some general keywords to have them read books that they wouldn’t have picked up on their own,” Hamilton said. 

Students can find these books on the shelves as they walk in, with the only detail being three keywords hinting at what the book is about. 

“I think this event is very beneficial because it gives us students an opportunity to read a story with a fresh slate instead of just having preconceived ideas that may influence the way you view a book as you read,” junior Srujan Mupparapu said. “Not only does it makes new books interesting, but it makes us less biased when choosing books.”

Hamilton sees the excitement of unveiling one of the covered books as comparable to Christmas morning. 

“I think it’s like Christmas when you open up a book when you don’t know what it is and using those keywords to find the types of things that you enjoy,” she said. “It’s just a new way to get a spin on what you already like.”

Senior Ishana Banerjee believes the experience allows students to find books they normally wouldn’t read.  

“After participating in it, I realized it really reemphasizes the ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’ thing,” Banerjee said. “This month has really allowed me to further engage in reading which I typically don’t do, but it encouraged me to read a few books I thoroughly enjoyed.”