Swastika Found in Children's Bathroom as Library Board Discusses Security

In light of a recent series of vandalism at the Montville library, including a swastika drawn in one of the children’s bathrooms, the library Board of Trustees discussed possible increased security measures at its meeting Monday night.

Board president Howard Chesler outlined three separate incidents of misbehavior within a 24-hour period of Feb 8, including setting off the fire alarm in the Pio Costa auditorium and ordering $100 of food and delivering it to the library.

“There have been small incidents in the past, but nothing of this magnitude,” he said. “Especially nothing with this kind of bias.”

Chesler, who has been on the library board for three years, said that after meeting with police he feels the incidents are likely connected.

“We feel this wasn’t spontaneous,” he said. “Its not good stuff.”

Interim Library director Allen Kleiman said that he was surprised at the level of mischief.

“We’ve never had any incidents like this before,” he said. “This is a first for me here. This usually doesn’t happen. You don’t have that stuff in the library.”

Kleiman said that the vandalized bathroom as since been locked. “Before, the children’s bathrooms did not have locks,” he said. “We intended for them to be almost childproof. We have had the locks fixed and a key will be needed.”

Chesler said that the library received several suggestions from the police department regarding new security measures, including the possible installation of cameras in the library as well as an upgrade to phone security to prevent prank calls, but that a more proactive presence of library staff in the building would be the only immediate change.

“We’re going to have people walk around more and keep their eyes open,” he said.

Kleiman said that, starting Tuesday and Wednesday, the library staff would be on the floor in the afternoon during the library’s busiest time to monitor areas of the building and “get proactive.”

“We need to keep a sharper eye,” he said. “The staff needs to be a little more alert, more responsible for what happens in the building. The staff is supposed to be walking around, but we have not been as proactive as I would have hoped. Now that the police are telling us we need to do this, we will make sure people know there are staff members in the library looking out.”

The vandalism of the library’s bathroom marks the second time in recent months that swastikas have been found in the township. The initial incident ended in arrests by the Montville Police department. The situation at the library is under investigation, Chesler said.

Montville Police Captain Ed Rosellini could not be reached for comment.

The board said it would discuss potential additional security measures at its next meeting.