This week, at least 15 colleges and universities throughout the United States have been hit with bomb threats. These threats have referenced explosive devices being set in or near campus libraries.
Among the recipients of bomb threats include:
The University of Florida reported gun shots at the Smathers Library, as did Grove City College in Pennsylvania. Western Washington University reported a “non-specific threat” near their library.
Four of the targeted institutions are historically Black colleges and universities.
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Officials have linked these bomb threats, as well as less location-specific threats received this week, as part of a swatting effort. Swatting is criminal harassment that purposefully deceives law enforcement into believing there is an emergency at a particular address, encouraging a significant response. It can be considered an act of stochastic terrorism.
According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, closure of such swatting incidents can be difficult if impossible. That’s in large part due to the technology used in the crimes allows callers to be well-disguised. Swatting puts a significant drain on money and resources, and it heightens the level of fear among those who are subjected to them. In a culture immersed in mass shootings, the fake threats take a big toll.
Since the new school year started in August, colleges and universities nationwide have been victims of swatting several times. It is the first to see more than a dozen specifically target the library. August’s rash of swatting incidents did, however, include at least one report of a person with a gun at the library, similar to this week’s incidents at the University of Florida and Grove City College.
Libraries have seen waves of bomb threats since 2021, when both the institution and the materials housed within them became subject to unrelenting challenges, bans, and complaints. Illinois public libraries saw numerous bomb threats in fall 2023, Minnesota public libraries saw them in early 2024, and many others have been targeted as well.
Academic libraries haven’t been immune to attacks related to their materials or practices over the last five years. Diversity, equity, and inclusion (“DEI”) has been at the forefront of those attacks, as have been significant budget cuts leading to staff and hour reduction. In 2025, we’re seeing a significant rise in cuts to these libraries as academia grapples with budget challenges. Unfortunately for students and staff, it always seems to be the library that feels the pain first. So far this year, we’ve seen major cuts at Duke University, Washington University in St. Louis, Princeton University, University of California at Santa Barbara, Utah Valley University, and more.