Haunting question for Maybole library staff.
By Jim Brough.
The haunting question among staff at Maybole’s Carnegie Library this week was whether the resident ghost would move when the library closed on Monday. For there have been some strange experiences in the old building over the years. And the employees were anxious to know if the friendly ghost would move with them or stay put.
Jean Inness, Community Involvement Librarian, said: “There have been a number of staff, including myself, who have had strange experiences which cannot really be explained. We have heard keys turning in locked doors, then the doors being opened and closed. But when someone investigated the noises there was never anyone there. There was also the time I had placed some boxes which were to be collected by a driver in a room with the labels facing out from the wall. When I returned a few minutes later the labels were facing towards the wall and no-one on the staff had been in the room while I was out. It may be something to do with the fact that the library was built on the site of the kitchen gardens of the castle across the road. But at least he is a friendly ghost. He has never done anything that has caused much upset to anyone.”
Meanwhile staff said farewell to another old friend on Monday. The move to the new library coincided with the retirement of Jim McCulloch after seven years as caretaker and supervisor of the Billiards Room in the library building. Jim (65) of 14 Ladyburn Road, Maybole, was presented with a cheque by Kyle and Carrick Provost Dan MacNeill. Of the ghost, Jim said: “There was one lunchtime when all the staff were out and the library was locked up. When we all returned from lunch, a whole row of books had been removed from a shelf and placed on a table in a room just off the library. There have also been scores of incidents when books have fallen off the shelves for no apparent reason. Nobody has ever seen the ghost but you always have the feeling that someone is watching you, especially when you are here on your own.”
But staff believe the ghost may already have made his presence felt at the new library. Jean explained: “When we were holding staff training on the computers at the new library there was a distinct smell of cigarette smoke. But no one was smoking and there was no one else in the building. So maybe he has decided he is also going to make the move to the new library.”
The new Maybole Library, which was being officially opened this Thursday, was built at a cost of £235,000 to replace the old building which was opened in December, 1906. What happens to the old building now is uncertain.
The billiards room was to re-open to the public on Thursday, the same day as Kyle and Carrick District Council’s Leisure and Recreation Committee were due to discuss a report on the future use of the building.
Ayrshire Post, 24th January 1992.