Welcome to The Haunted Bookshop, Iowa City's oldest used book store. Established in 1978, the store moved to its current location in downtown Iowa City in the 1980s. (The present space is a converted family home built in 1895; it retains the wood floors, the much-admired original fireplaces in the front and northwest rooms, and a homelike demeanour, with its open spaces, plentiful seating, and quirky decor.) Click here to tour the shop.

We carry over 25,000 titles in more than 50 different sections ranging from Iowa interest to poetry, children's books to sociology, travelogues to history and more. We provide a variety of other services as well, including book searches, gift recommendation, space for book groups and community organisations to meet, collection valuation, writing consultation, packing and shipping, sewing advice, tea if the kettle's on, Latin translation....

We also enjoy the company of many neighbours, friends and fellow readers. If you are a Facebook user, meet the regulars by visiting our group, Ghosts of the Haunted Bookshop (also a great spot to share pictures of the cats, set up chess games, Scrabble, or book group meetings, and more).

Nialle Sylvan is the owner of The Haunted. After working in a bookshop during college, Nialle tried another profession, then was advised by a total stranger who had nearly killed her with a bag of tenpenny nails that she ought to find a nice bookstore of her own and settle down, which she did in 2004. Her passions (besides books and readers) include Kurt Sylvan, Irish and Iowan history, children's literature, folk music, storytelling, oak trees, and working on her novel.

Kurt Sylvan is a philosophy student at the University of Iowa. Formerly a browser in the Haunted's literature and philosophy sections, he asked Nialle for a ride home when she closed shop on her 27th birthday, and he married her later that year. Besides working on a massive investigation into the philosophy of causality, Kurt also maintains the shop's growing philosophy collection.

Nierme is a shorthaired tabby/peach calico mix who joined us in July 2006. She is remarkably intelligent; she has been known to offer tonally appropriate comments in conversation, to remember who had dangly bits on their coats or backpacks last time they visited, and to "read," which we think has to do with the fact that all our books came from different homes and thus smell differently. She also loves music for solo piano, particularly Satie and Schubert.

Nothing pleases her better than being scratched under the chin, and she's quite friendly. (We would ask that you respect her desire not to be picked up.) Her birthday is observed on each anniversary of 7 November 2004.

Logan picked us out at the animal shelter in January 2007. He's quite the cuddler if you can catch him when he is sleepy, but like most kittens, he currently prefers to gallop from one toy to the next. Acceptable toys include crumpled paper, toy mice, and yarn; feel free to join in his play!

Logan's favourite place to be rubbed is behind his ears. He, like Nierme, would rather that you did not touch his belly.

Logan's birthday is celebrated on each anniversary of 3 October 2006.