Libraries creep some people out all on their own. So an eerily desolate and truly completely silent one is a very effective setting if you want to make the situation even creepier. The library could be lacking in patrons for any reason -- it could be abandoned or merely after closing hours.

It could be shabby and full of crumbling books, or it could be in good order just without anyone there. This tends to be more effective with older styled buildings than with ultra modern libraries.

May be a MagicalLibrary.
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!!Examples

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[[folder: Film ]]

* The library in the Biff Tannen-altered Hill Valley 1985 in ''Film/BackToTheFuture II''.
* ''Film/{{Ghostbusters}}'': "I have a plan. Okay, on three...one...two...three...GET HER!"

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Literature ]]

* ''The Library of Babel'' - a short story by Creator/JorgeLuisBorges about a library that holds all knowledge from every universe in every language, and is infinitely large to be able to hold it.
* ''TheTimeMachine'' (and subsequent adaptations) have included a scene involving an enormous abandoned library where all books have decayed to dust.
* In Creator/StephenKing's ''{{It}}'', one of the characters works in a library. A scene takes place with him working there after hours.
* Also by Creator/StephenKing, the novella ''The Library Policeman'' contains a couple of scenes in this trope.
* In ''HarryPotter'', the school library's restricted section gets pretty spooky at night... are those books whispering?
* In RayBradbury's ''Literature/SomethingWickedThisWayComes'', the heroes hide from demonic carnies in the library at night.
* ''Literature/GalaxyOfFear: Ghost of the Jedi'' takes place in part on Nespis 8, an ancient abandoned space station that contains a huge hidden library. Said library is forbidden, for Jedi only, and it's said that anyone else who finds it dies. [[spoiler: Actually the books steal people's LifeEnergy.]]
* Libiris of the ''MagicKingdomOfLandover'' books is this. Made worse by its [[ScaryLibrarian creepy caretaker]] and the Throg monkeys.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

* The Library in the ''Series/DoctorWho'' episode [[Recap/DoctorWhoNSS4E8SilenceInTheLibrary "Silence in the Library"]]. Gets extra points for being a ''planet sized'' abandoned library. And more so when it's ''[[LivingShadow not actually abandoned]]''.
** They're not in every shadow. But they could be in ANY shadow.
* The ''AreYouAfraidOfTheDark?'' episode "The Tale of the Quiet Librarian." Which means there's probably a ''{{Goosebumps}}'' book that uses this, too, right?
** Well, a girl does fight a monster librarian in "The Girl Who Cried Monster." Close enough, right?
* ''TheTwilightZone'' episode "Time Enough at Last" ends with a lone man, an empty library, and a broken pair of glasses. Possibly better known by now through parodies than through the original.
* The school library in ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' is played up like this in the first episode (and, apart from the stars, few people venture there through the series).
* ''Series/{{Merlin}}'' has a dark old library full of dusty books and cobwebs - though so far, nothing horrible has happened there.
* On ANTFarm, when the Internet access is banned at the school in the episode [=ANTswers=], to find facts the kids resort to visiting the library, which [[{{Anvilicious}} not only is dark, silent and full of cobwebs, the librarian is dead and all that remains is a clothed skeleton]].
* Finch sets up a base of operations in one of these in the pilot episode of ''PersonOfInterest''. When it's next seen two episodes later, it's been cleaned up and all the shelves have been restocked.

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[[folder: Webcomics ]]

* A much less sinister example would be the old library in the second chapter of ''Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt''.
* ''Webcomic/SequentialArt'' shows one under the protagonist's house right next to the missile silo.
* The main college library in ''TalesOfGnosisCollege'' has dark, silent "closed stacks" filled with books of forbidden information.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Web Original ]]

* [[http://www.horribleturn.com/ Horrible Turn]], the fan made prequel to [[WebVideo/DoctorHorriblesSingAlongBlog Doctor Horrible]] contains a scene in which the protagonist, a young Billy, makes a date with a girl. A delightful song follows, which is shushed to silence at the end.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' "The Library", guarded by the [[NightmareFuel terrifying Knowledge Spirit Wan Shi Tong]]
* ''MegasXLR'' "Buggin' The System" The Ringworld Library, untouched for eons and filled with dead robots.
* An episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Arthur}}'' was actually about both Arthur and Francine being accidentally locked inside the library after closing hours.
* ''WesternAnimation/ThePagemaster'' is set in one of these, which becomes a fantasy land once the film shifts into animation.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Video Games ]]

* The Metro City Library of ''Condemned'' would certainly apply, especially when seeing thugs quickly step behind shelves.
* The Library in the second ''VideoGame/ClockTower'' game, especially with the threat of Scissorman, who happens to be inside the building too.
* The Library of Magic in ''BatenKaitos'', complete with a host of undead enemies.
* Dracula's library in several installments of VideoGame/{{Castlevania}} isn't exactly silent, but that's because ''the books are trying to kill you.''
* There is a level in Franchise/{{Halo}} called The Library.
** The hordes of Flood-possessed soldiers don't exactly make things better either.
* In Franchise/TheElderScrolls series, the Daedric lord Hermaeus Mora's realm, the Apocrypha, is a giant library filled with tomes of forbidden knowledge and filled with ghosts constantly seeking that knowledge.
* The basement of the police station in ''{{Fahrenheit}}'' is silent except for the sound of the heartbeat of the officer who's walking through it. Who suffers from nearly crippling claustrophobia, requiring a balancing mini-game to allow her to to navigate the library without panicking herself into unconsciousness.
* Most libraries in the ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'' series, except in the remake of the first game, where you fight the Yawn for the second time.
* ''Videogame/AloneInTheDarkTheNewNightmare'', although you fight a MiniBoss there at one point.
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