Libraries in Schaumburg, Aurora latest targets of bomb threats

Libraries in Schaumburg and Aurora evacuated patrons and closed Tuesday afternoon after receiving bomb threats, the latest in a string of threats targeting suburban libraries.

In Schaumburg, a threat made via an online chat message led to the evacuation and a police response to the Schaumburg Township District Library at 130 S. Roselle Road. The district closed that building and branch facilities in Hanover Park and Hoffman Estates as a result.

Schaumburg police Lt. Christy Lindhurst said that as of 4 p.m., police had found no evidence that the threat was legitimate, but their investigation is ongoing.

Aurora police said officers responded to all three of the city's libraries after a bomb threat was made through an online source. Officials said no explosives were found.

Similar threats have been made to several other suburban libraries in recent weeks, including in Park Ridge and Gurnee.

The threats Tuesday came on the same day Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias - the state's official librarian - testified before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee about book bans at public libraries.

Giannoulias previously condemned the bomb threats, calling them part of "a troublesome and disturbing trend that has escalated from banning books, to harassing and criminalizing librarians and now to endangering the lives of innocent people."