The book of the day at the Oxford Public Library could have been “All Creatures Great and Small,” as all kinds of “creatures” visited the library’s annual Trick-or-Treat event on Thursday, October 29, 2026.

Those browsing the bookshelves may have caught a glimpse of the mayor greeting Spiderman, the fire chief getting a hug from Batman, a roll call of video game characters brought to life, spiders walking upright, and princesses charming their hosts.

More than 150 kids followed the trail of pumpkins, leading them through the library and past four different stops before entering the Community Room where they were greeted by members of the Oxford Police Department with their Paw Patrol mascot, the Oxford Fire Department with mascot Sparky, and members of the Oxford Health System – all handing out treats and getting hugs and smiles in return.

Library director Amy Henderson was costumed in a familiar way to fans of the “Pinkalicious” children’s book series.

“Days like this really bring the library to life for kids and parents,” Henderson said. “This allows us to interact with the kids in the community in a different way than they expect.”

Mayor Alton Craft was joined by Fire Chief Ben Stewart in welcoming the kids and offering their first treats on this special journey through the library.

“Things like this are what make being mayor worth it,” Craft said. “This is fun and what I really enjoy doing. The kids and the parents appreciate the opportunity for the kids to dress up and have some fun in a safe place. This is just great.”