Noose Found Hanging In Michigan Library
MICHIGAN (CNN) - A library in south Michigan is heightening security and changing its hours after a series of incidents.
The latest is a rope noose staff found Monday morning.
They say it was low enough that the children who use the library could have grasped it.
"That's a pretty big red flag that maybe something is amiss and gonna happen," said Vickie Lee.
It was immediately taken done but left both staff and community members shocked and full of questions.
"I think why? I think it's rude. It's unconscionable. It's just not right," said Mari Applegate.
"I've been a librarian for more than 40 years, and I've never had incidents like what happened this year," said Mary Hill.
Because the library was closed on Sunday, hill believes the noose was hung on Saturday sometime in the four hours they were open.
Staff is now reviewing security camera footage to figure out who was behind the disturbing display.
"It's just another layer to the pile because we've had an ongoing issue with the community this year, with just incident after incident after incident after incident. This was just one more,' said Hill.
Hill says this year staff has been verbally threatened, the building has been vandalized and just last week, a man tried lighting paper towels on fire in the bathroom.
"I'm pretty vigilant about my surroundings now because of the things that are happening," said Lee.
All of this has staff stepping up security by installing more security cameras, lighting alleys better and even re-arranging furniture, so patrons are more visible to staff.
Especially as young students use the library every day for after school programs.
"My biggest thing is making sure the kids are safe, so I try to keep them in one general area so we can keep an eye on them at all times," said Lee.
Police are investigating and the staff is getting training on how to report such situations.
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