If something strange is happening in your neighborhood this Halloween, you might want to call the librarian.

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Concord Public Library in New Hampshire is encouraging patrons to borrow a ghost detector or thermal imaging camera as part of its October Halloween programming. Alongside crafts and a spooky concert, the library offers equipment for residents whose seasonal plans extend beyond watching scary movies to investigating the premises.

Whether the evening produces a supernatural encounter is another matter. The borrowing opportunity, however, is real.

The ghost-hunting equipment belongs to Concord’s Library of Things, a collection of objects patrons can take home much as they would a book. Its stated purpose is to help people save money and try items before deciding whether to buy them. Halloween supplies the entertaining hook for a broader consumer proposition: Sometimes, temporary possession is plenty.

Consider the household economics of amateur ghost hunting. A burst of October enthusiasm could lead to an equipment purchase, followed by one evening of investigation and years of storage. Borrowing lets the curious test their commitment before allocating permanent shelf space to the paranormal.

Concord’s collection includes a karaoke machine, metal detector, telescope and pickleball set. Patrons can also borrow a paper shredder, vehicle code reader and equipment for converting old recordings into digital files. The same institution can help you investigate an unexplained presence, diagnose a dashboard warning or finally do something about those family videotapes.

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