New York Public Library adds ‘The Raven’ to Insta Novel program

This Halloween, you nevermore have to go without a copy of Edgar Allan Poe’s beloved poem "The Raven," thanks to the New York Public Library.

The work is the latest installment of the library’s Insta Novel program, with an animated version of "The Raven."

Launched on Aug 22, the NYPL’s initiative to bring back classical literature on its Instagram stories platform began with “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” by Lewis Carroll, followed by Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s short story “The Yellow Wallpaper."

Together with New York-based advertising and creative agency Mother, the NYPL created the program to ensure that great literature can become more widely available across the digital spectrum, according to a news release.

"The Raven," animated and produced by Psyop and Studio AKA, depicts an ominous journey across a spine-chillingly mysterious landscape imbued with supernatural elements. Simply by tapping your thumb or holding it on screen, you can flip through animated pages of Poe’s lyrical poem.

For those who don’t use Instagram, books from Insta Novels are also available on SimplyE, the NYPL’s free e-reader app, downloadable via the App Store or Google Play.