On Friday July 25th, an individual entered the Michael Kusalaba branch brandishing a sword and verbally threatened staff and patrons. PLYMC immediately reacted by notifying law enforcement and moving patrons to a safe location while the individual entered a restroom and locked the door. Youngstown Police arrived on scene, and they worked to disarm the individual. The individual then voluntarily left the location. There were no injuries reported. The individual was later observed at the Main branch where he was taken into custody by Youngstown Police.
“Our branch staff and security personnel acted commendably in a very tense and potentially dangerous situation. I am incredibly proud of our team for their exemplary response,” said PLYMC Director and CEO Aimee Fifarek
PLYMC has made the decision to close the Michael Kusalaba branch for the remainder of Friday July 25th and will remain closed until Tuesday, July 29th to provide service training and support to our staff.
Our other branches will remain open during our posted hours and will continue to provide programs and services to our community.
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The Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County (PLYMC) has served the Mahoning Valley since 1880 when the Youngstown Library Association was officially created. With 14 branches across Mahoning County, including Main Library in downtown Youngstown, PLYMC is well known for its signature services and programs like Summer Discovery and 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten. PLYMC serves our communities by preparing children for kindergarten, promoting early literacy, assisting job seekers, connecting Valley residents to technology, and providing resources for small businesses.