It’s October and I know what you’re thinking: This column is going to be all about scary stories filled with ghosts and monsters.

Well, you’re partly right. I am going to talk to you about something truly horrifying, but it has nothing to do with ghosts and monsters. I’m talking about searching for medical information on the internet.

Who’s Googled a symptom or diagnosis? It’s OK, be honest, we’ve all done it, but has it ever ended well? You discover you’re suffering from some rare and fatal disease and when you tell your doctor, he lets you know it’s something common and nonthreatening like a cold or heat rash.

I want to make your searches for medical information much less frightening and Deschutes Public Library can help. We have several online resources that you can access anytime from anywhere you have internet access and your library card. These resources are filled with current, accurate information that you can trust.

Your first stop should be Health & Wellness Resource Center. This resource is designed for the lay person and offers easy-to-read pamphlets, articles, directories and more. It’s the perfect place to start your research and get acquainted with the basics of your information need.

Next, take a look at Heath Reference Center Academic. The gist of this resource is right in the title: Academic. It offers is more scholarly-based information from research papers and articles. It’s the place to go once you have a handle on the basics and need to delve deeper.

Both of these resources, as well as links to free, trustworthy websites that we recommend can be found on the Health page on our website at www.deschuteslibrary.org. Click on Research & Learning, then on Health.

And please, please, please stop Googling your symptoms and diagnoses. Instead, get your scares from frightening books like these:

“Spooky Oregon: Tales of Hauntings, Strange Happenings, and Other Local Lore” by S.E. Schlosser

A collection of hauntings and strange happenings around Oregon throughout history such as The Green Lady in Jacksonville, Tommy Knockin’ in John Day, and The Handkerchief in Newport.

“Hex” by Thomas Olde Heuvelt

Black Springs, New York, is haunted by a 17th-century witch, but residents have found modern ways to subdue her power including a full lockdown of the town. But the teens are getting restless.

“Disappearance at Devil’s Rock” by Paul Tremblay

When her 13-year-old son disappears, Elizabeth learns that the boy and his friends had been hanging out near a reputedly cursed landmark.

“The Family Plot” by Cherie Priest

When a historic property is offered to her father’s salvaging company, Dahlia is alarmed when graves are found on the property and the estate’s owner goes missing.

“My Best Friend’s Exorcism” by Grady Hendrix

Horror blends with ’80s nostalgia and dark humor when a teenaged girl is seemingly possessed by the devil in 1988.

— Jenny Pedersen is a community librarian at the Redmond Library. Contact her at jenniferp@dpls.lib.or.us.