Librarian in Training
Kayla Whispell
Hello! My name is Kayla and I am currently a graduate MSIS student with a focus on Library and Information Services. Vampire literature is a special interest of mine, so I hope this guide will help you in your own research with this topic!
Introduction
"Listen to them - the children of the night. What music they make."
- Dracula, Bram Stoker (1897)
Vampire: an undead creature of the night that thirsts for blood and preys on the living. Vampires have been present in human legend, folklore and literature for centuries. Their incarnations range from predatory demons with horrifying attributes to sympathetic tortured souls who grasp their former humanity. From terror to romance, fascination with the macabre world of vampires has yet to fade from humanity. When did vampirism first emerge in writings? What is the history behind the word “vampire”? Well, this guide serves to help provide resources to answer those questions. It may surprise you that vampirism appeared in literature long before the publication of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, which is one of the most notable works of this genre. Whether you are a college student conducting research or an enthusiast of the supernatural, this LibGuide is meant to give you access to information on the earliest legends of vampires, vampire literature and its underlying symbolism, and how these have all contributed to modernity’s understanding of what it is to be a vampire.
