The Scrapbook shown on Jack’s desk in No.31 is something that’s referenced clearly within the novel but breezed upon in the film.
The Scrapbook contains many more stories and instances of guests dying and the raunchy behavior behind doors, which would provide the sensation of hauntings being much more prevalent, but according to King, a phone call with Kubrick revealed he didn’t believe in ghosts.
When Jack says in No.53 to a Delbert Grady “I read about it [him killing his family] in the papers”, we can’t say for certain it’s not true but we definitely heard Ullman tell Jack (and all of the viewers) about a Charles Grady in 1970 killing his daughters.
Removing the Scrapbook from the majority of the film removes the significance of the ghost presence and leaves it much more in ambiguity.
In this image · No.31
The scrapbook in the foreground comes from the novel, where its stories about The Overlook influence Jack’s work. It is visible but not explained in the film. Its presence links his writing with the hotel’s history and the Ghost Story reading.