Man Burns 100 Library Books, Faces Charges
A Beachwood, Ohio man checked out 100 books from the Cuyahoga County Public Library, focusing on Jewish, African-American, and LGBTQ+ history. He subsequently posted social media videos showing these books, which were valued at approximately $1700, first in a car trunk with a caption referencing “cleansing” libraries, and later being burned. The Princeton University Bridging Divides Initiative alerted the library to the videos. The library will pursue restitution for the destroyed books once they are officially overdue, while police involvement remains limited to a potential civil matter.
John Q. Hosedrinker