Iowa City Public Library Evacuated after Bomb Threat, Part of Disturbing Nationwide Trend
The Iowa City Public Library (ICPL) was evacuated on Tuesday afternoon following a bomb threat that was received at approximately 3:30 p.m. While the library remained closed on Tuesday, bomb-detection dogs from the University of Iowa Police Department thoroughly searched the building. Fortunately, the library reopened on its regular schedule on Wednesday morning.
In a written statement issued by the library on Tuesday evening, it was stated that the situation is currently under investigation, and we are working closely with the authorities to ensure the safety of everyone involved. Unfortunately, no further information regarding the nature of the threat was disclosed in the statement.
Lee Hermiston, the city’s public safety information officer, informed Little Village that the bomb threat had been made online. However, he did not disclose additional details about the threat, only mentioning that it was deemed not credible and remains under investigation.
Surprisingly, since Wednesday morning, the Iowa City Public Library has received multiple additional threats online. After carefully evaluating the circumstances and nature of this incident, library staff, in consultation with the Iowa City Police Department, made the decision to avoid further disruptions to library services and open as scheduled.
Unfortunately, the ICPL bomb threat is just one of many that libraries across the country have experienced recently. Kelly Jensen at Book Riot has been diligently tracking the ongoing campaign of threats and intimidation targeting libraries.
In the past week, Jensen noted, six different libraries in the Chicago suburbs received bomb threats, followed by two more bomb threats at an Oklahoma school district and a public library in Davis, California. Several of those libraries faced not just one, but several bomb threats over the course of the week.
Similar to ICPL, the Vernon Area Public Library in the Chicago suburb of Lincolnshire also received a bomb threat on Tuesday.
Furthermore, the public library in Davis, a city in northern California, endured three bomb threats in less than one week. Jensen reported that the threats included anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and began when the library determined that a chapter of Moms for Liberty would not comply with the library’s code of conduct, leading to their denial of using the library’s facilities for a speaker program.
Many of the threats stem from online targeting of libraries on social media by right-wing groups and often involve anti-LGBTQ sentiments.
These threats are, no doubt, connected to the right-wing rhetoric surrounding libraries and librarians, Jensen wrote. The rise of stochastic terrorism occurs when a political movement labels a group as ‘groomers’ or ‘indoctrinators,’ and through these bomb threats, they create terror for library workers and users alike.
In the statement from ICPL on Tuesday, Library Director Elsworth Carman emphasized their commitment to taking any threat to their patrons and staff seriously. Carman mentioned their close collaboration with the police to ensure the safety of their facility and promised to keep the community informed as more information becomes available.
The increasing frequency of bomb threats to libraries across the nation is a deeply troubling trend. As libraries continue to serve as community hubs where individuals of all ages and backgrounds come together to explore knowledge and ideas, it is crucial that proper measures are taken to protect these vital institutions and preserve the safety and well-being of library staff and patrons alike.
