Booksology The campus received the threat via email. None resulted in the discovery of any physical threats in or near the target area.
There is little information about these threats, but they mirror the swatting incident that occurred in October. Swatting is criminal harassment that intentionally tricks law enforcement into believing there is an emergency at a particular address, prompting a serious response. It could be considered an act of probabilistic terrorism.
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According to atlanta journal constitutionclosing such swatting incidents can be difficult, if not impossible. The main reason for this is that the technology used in the crime allows them to successfully disguise the caller. Swatting wastes a lot of money and resources and increases the fear level of its victims. In a culture where mass shootings are rampant, false threats can be very damaging.
Since the start of the new academic year in August, universities across the country have been victimized by swatting attacks multiple times. This is the second time this academic year that university libraries have been specifically named in these threats.
Since 2021, the library has received a spate of bomb threats, and both the library and the materials it holds have been subject to relentless challenges, bans, and complaints. Illinois public libraries received numerous bomb threats in fall 2023, Minnesota public libraries received bomb threats in early 2024, and many other libraries have been targeted as well.
Academic libraries have not been immune from attacks related to their materials and practices over the past five years. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (“DEI”) is at the forefront of these attacks, as are deep budget cuts that lead to reductions in headcount and hours. In 2025, these libraries saw their cuts increase significantly as the academic community grappled with budgetary challenges. Unfortunately for students and staff, libraries always seem to be the first to feel the pain. So far this year, major cuts have been made at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Duke University, Washington University in St. Louis, Princeton University, the University of California, Santa Barbara, and Utah Valley University. These cuts are likely to continue until 2026.
