In his 1968 film Night of the Living Dead, George A. Romero unleashed the modern zombie upon the world. These reanimated corpses with a hunger for human flesh have taken many forms over the years, from slow, shambling ghouls to fast, menacing creatures. But why do they endure? What is it about zombies that fascinates and frightens us? And how have libraries gotten into the action? In Episode 67, Call Number with American Libraries celebrates Halloween with a look at libraries and the living dead. First, American Libraries Senior Editor and Call Number host Phil Morehart speaks with Ben Rubin, horror studies collection coordinator at University of Pittsburgh Library System, about the George A. Romero Archival Collection, which was gifted to the school after the filmmaker’s death in 2017. Next American Libraries Managing Editor Terra Dankowski talks with Amy Dennis, programming and public relations librarian at Tom Green County (Texas) Library System, about the library’s zombie doll program for youth. And finally, Morehart speaks with Seanan McGuire (aka Mira Grant), author of the Newsflesh trilogy of zombie novels, about the books’ inspiration and legacy.

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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