By Laurie Lyda

Rowan Public Library

Do the elegiac lyrics of Kansas’s “Carry On, My Wayward Son” remind you of a treasured 1967 Impala, an infamous leather jacket, plaid shirts, Moose & Squirrel jokes, and angel wings? If so, then you might be a fan of the longest-running sci-fi series in the history of American broadcast TV.

“Supernatural” debuted in 2005 on the then-WB Network and stars Jared Padalecki as Sam Winchester, Jensen Ackles as Dean Winchester, and Misha Collins as Castiel.

If you’ve watched the show for one season or all 14, then you may already know that the upcoming season 15 has officially been announced as the last.

Some fans are holding onto comments made at San Diego Comic Con 2019 and the recent TV Critics Association press tour that suggest the stars and the CW president, Mark Pedowitz, are maybe, possibly open to the show returning one day. Others have started preparing themselves for The End (also the name of the classic fourth episode of the fifth season – if you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend).

To date, “Supernatural” has aired 307 episodes, which roughly translates to around 13,815 minutes of show to watch. And for a show with a rich mythology, that means there’s a lot to remember, so with season 15 premiering on Oct. 10, what’s a fan to do?

Rowan Public Library’s free wi-fi means that if you have access to a streaming platform that hosts “Supernatural,” like Netflix, you can visit the library to binge watch episodes. Don’t forget to bring your headphones or ear buds. Though if you do forget, you can purchase a set of ear buds at any RPL branch for $3.

DVD season sets are also available for check-out from RPL’s circulating collection, so plan to revisit the Winchesters’ Tales of Woe and Adventure from the comfort of your own home. Customers are allowed to check out 15 DVDs at a time, and there are 14 seasons of “Supernatural,” so you’re set there.

However, even binge-watching may not fully prepare you for season 15. From Dean’s infamous stint in Hell, to Sam’s time in the Cage, to Castiel’s dealings with Purgatory — and more — there’s so much story and so many characters to refresh that online resources may also be a benefit: The Supernatural Wiki (supernaturalwiki.com) is a canon and fandom resource that even writers of the show have consulted.

You can access the site from your own personal device using RPL’s free wifi or you can use one of the RPL computer labs to begin your online exploration of “Supernatural,” from the show’s scripts and episode summaries, to info about the actors and their convention appearances, to fan works and charity initiatives.

Preparing for the final season of “Supernatural” may also lead you to identifying other shows you want to revisit — like “Buffy, the Vampire Slayer” or “Angel.” Seasons of these series are also part of RPL’s circulating collection. And if you find a gap in the circulating collection — for example, I discovered that the catalog doesn’t currently include season one of “Supernatural” — then you can submit a purchase request.

Visit www.rowanpubliclibrary.org, click on “I Want to…” and select “Purchase Request.” Your request will be forwarded to the appropriate staff member, and if the purchase is approved, then the item will be placed on hold for you. After the item is added to the catalog, you’ll be alerted that it is available for check out. Do pay attention to the timeframe on purchase requests; processing time means that the item cannot be available immediately.

Once you’re all caught up on the show and waiting impatiently (or is that just me?) for the season 15 premiere, you might also enjoy the book series based on “Supernatural.” RPL’s circulating collection includes Joe Schrieber’s “Supernatural: The Unholy Cause,” which takes the Winchester brothers on a case in Georgia.

Close observers of the show may have noticed that the Winchesters’ adventures often focus on the Midwest (or, rather, British Columbia disguised as the Midwest) because their home bases have typically been located in Sioux Falls, S.D., (prior to the heartbreaking events of season seven) or Lebanon, Kansas (since the more uplifting development of season eight). The books expand the show’s world, taking readers on adventures beyond the show’s typical geography. If you prefer eBooks, then explore Libby and Overdrive, where you can check out more titles in the book series.

And if reading the adventures of Sam, Dean and Cas whets your appetite for more supernatural and gothic-themed titles, RPL can help there, too. The circulating collection includes the written adventures of Lev Grossman’s “The Magicians,” J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, Eoin Colfer’s Artemis Fowl series, and many more.

To find the story that will best suit you, explore the amazing reader advisory tool Novelist through the identified link located in the upper left-hand corner of the RPL online catalog or ask the staff at your nearest RPL branch.

Holiday closing: Headquarters in Salisbury, East Branch in Rockwell and South Rowan Regional in China Grove will be closed Saturday, Aug. 31, and Monday, Sept. 3 for Labor Day. Regular hours resume Sept, 3

Escape Room: Aug. 27, 4-5 p.m., headquarters; Aug. 29, 4-5 p.m., East. Picture this: you’re a conservationist who is trying to track down animal smugglers who are targeting endangered species in North Carolina. You find their hideout, but once you walk inside, the door locks behind you and you’re trapped! Can you save the animals that are being held there, find evidence to bring the smugglers to justice, and escape in an hour?  This program will be presented by Kelli Isenhour, education coordinator for Rowan County Soil and Water Conservation.

Book Bites Book Club: South, Aug. 27, 6 p.m. Refreshments will be served, and new members are welcome. Contact Paulette at Paulette.Stiles@rowancountync.gov for details about this month’s selection.

Displays: Headquarters, Communities in Schools (school supplies accepted on site), Olde Rowan Fiber Guild; East, Lady Bird Display by Lindsey Barnhardt; South, homemade soap by Rachel Mowry.

Literacy: Call the Rowan County Literacy Council at 704-216-8266 for more information on teaching or receiving literacy tutoring for English speakers or for those for whom English is a second language.