Hopp also banned from Judson library

Trouble keeps piling up for Randy Hopp.

The Gail Borden Library trustee, who for three consecutive years has been banned from his own library, appeared in court Wednesday for a hearing on charges he punched his elderly parents during an argument last week.

And now he has been banned at another library — the one on the campus of Judson University.

“For the safety of our campus, they've decided to discontinue his access,” said Bethany Suckrow, social media manager for Judson's communications office.

Suckrow said campus safety made the decision to ban Hopp, who has been a patron of the library. She was not aware of any specific incidents on campus that preceded the ban but said in most cases, the university tries to keep access to its resources open.

“It is a permanent ban,” Suckrow said. “We don't plan on ever allowing him back on campus again.”

Hopp has been banned from the Gail Borden Library in Elgin several times since 2000, with the most recent ban stretching to June 2012. He is only allowed to Gail Borden board meetings with a security escort.

Hopp appeared in court Tuesday without an attorney and asked for a public defender to handle his domestic battery case.

Judge Linda Abrahamson denied that request, saying Hopp could afford his own defense, according to the Kane County prosecutor's office.

Hopp must return to court April 19 with an attorney for proceedings to continue.

Library Director Carole Medal said regardless of the outcome of Hopp's misdemeanor domestic violence charges, which could result in jail time, Hopp will likely not be forced to give up his trustee position. “As the law is written now, he is not removable under the library district act,” Medal said.

The only way trustees can be dismissed is if they move out of the district, fail to pay library taxes, miss a full year of meetings or get convicted of a misdemeanor tied to neglect of the duties of a trustee, according to Medal.

Medal said Judson's ban reinforces Gail Borden's own decision to keep him out of the library, which followed from what library officials characterized as harassment and threatening behavior.

“It shows that the actions taken by our library board were appropriate,” Medal said.