Branigan after dark

On Oct. 30, the lights at Thomas Branigan Memorial Library will go dark, and small groups will head downstairs looking for whatever might be hiding between the shelves. 

The City of Las Cruces’ Teen Connection Program is partnering with the library for a Teen Ghost Hunt — an after-hours Halloween event built around an activity participants have already been asking for. While groups explore the library, others will watch “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” upstairs before rotating into the hunt. 

The event comes as Teen Connection adjusts its approach following the Teen Takeover series, which Recreation Services Supervisor Zach Guy previously described as having moderate success. Rather than overhauling the program, staff are using feedback from monthly teen hangouts to help shape what comes next. 

Recreation Service Coordinator Taryne Heredia said ghost hunting is already popular at the Frank O’Brien Papen Community Center, where teens regularly ask to do it during hangouts. When staff heard Branigan had its own reputation for paranormal activity, the partnership made sense. 

“Somebody had mentioned that Branigan might be haunted,” Heredia said. “So, we thought it would be fun to do a ghost hunt with them to collaborate.” 

Jacqueline Simmons, librarian at Thomas Branigan Memorial Library and the library’s unofficial teen librarian, backed up the rumor. 

Simmons said Guy approached her a few months ago about teen programming at Branigan and whether the library would host the October event. Because the library closes at 6 p.m. on Fridays, the hunt will take place after normal hours. 

Branigan will serve as the staging area, with the lights turned off throughout the building. Heredia said teens will enter the hunt in small groups while the rest watch the movie upstairs. 

For staff, the unusual setting is part of a broader effort to offer activities that reflect a wide range of interests. Heredia said some participants gravitate toward sports, while others prefer arts, crafts or music. 

“We try to mix things up and kind of go with what they like,” Heredia said. 

Simmons said that responsiveness matters because teens will not participate if the programming does not interest them. She also sees the library as more than an educational setting. 

“It gives them a judgment-free space to kind of be themselves and hang with their friends and their peers,” Simmons said, adding that the space can help teens build a sense of community they may not have elsewhere. 

That goal also shapes how staff will judge the Ghost Hunt. Heredia said a large turnout would be welcome, but attendance alone will not determine whether the night worked. 

“Just seeing the teens engage in something within the community is going to make it successful, no matter how many show up,” Heredia said. 

Teen Connection is also planning a Community Impact Series centered on service, local organizations and civic pride. Heredia said an outdoor adventure program involving activities such as biking and hiking could begin next semester. 

For now, the next step is a dark library, a horror movie, and a few possible ghosts. Costumes are welcome, and Heredia said at least one participant already has a Ghostbusters outfit ready to go. 

The Teen Ghost Hunt is scheduled from 6:30 to 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, at Thomas Branigan Memorial Library.