11 Years of Weird Incidents at the Orland Park Library

The following are incidents since 2002 where people were acting in a suspicious manner, or accessing obscene material on computers, or when police were called. Information is from library and police records. 

• On March 29, 2002, a male patron was found looking at a pornography website on an info-trac computer around 2:30 p.m. The male’s mother had left him and two other children at the library, and when she returned, staff told her about her son’s behavior and that he was using an unauthorized computer. Staff told the woman that her son could lose Internet privileges for the act.

• In an email dated Jan. 23, 2003, library staff was notified that a man appearing to be in his late 30s early 40s comes into the library and stares at women, while pretending to read a magazine. Staff had previously been given a more detailed description of the man and was instructed to alert the reference desk when he comes into the library. Staff was also instructed to call police if the man continues the described behavior, if a patron complains or he is seen harassing others.

• On Sept. 2, 2005, a man asked a staff member what was described as “oddly personal questions” in the report. The man was later seen following the staff member to her car, and police were called. The man left before police arrived, when another staff member exited the library to check on the woman he was following. The man was described as black, 5 feet 9 inches, 140 pounds, wearing glasses, as well as a sport shirt with a Hinckley label and was dressed “very neat.”

• On Sept. 15, 2006, police were called to the library about a man touching his genitals in front of a female teen in a study area. A woman said she was in a study room, and saw a man pacing back and forth by a book aisle directly in front of the room, according to the report. The woman then saw the man stop in front of the study room windows and saw him put his hands down his pants and was apparently masturbating while looking at the woman, according to the report. The woman took a picture of the man, and he left the area when he saw her making a call on her phone. The man left the library before police arrived. He was described as white, in his 40s, dark brown hair, wearing light khaki shorts and a white shirt.

• On Nov. 30, 2007, a woman saw a man follow her while driving from 151st Street into the library parking lot, and watched her as she entered the library. The woman exited the library to confront the man and he drove away quickly, according to the report. The man circled the parking lot and stopped near the library entrance, and the woman went back outside. He drove away again, this time away from the library lot. A man outside got a vehicle description and a library staff member called police with the information.

• On Oct. 23, 2008, a patron told a staff person that a man sitting next to her was fondling himself while in the adult computer area about an hour prior to making the complaint. The staff person moved the patron making the complaint to another computer. According to the report, the staff person monitoring the computer said he didn’t see anything out of the ordinary.

• On Nov. 17, 2008, a contractor was cleaning the library lobby near the security gates, when she saw a man approach the front doors to enter around 8:55 a.m. The contractor told him the library wouldn’t be open until 9 a.m. The contractor walked away from the man, and he followed her from outside the glass doors and windows. When the contractor looked at him, she saw his penis was hanging out. The contractor told left the area, and told library staff who then contacted police, and the man had left the area. He was described as 18-25 years old, Hispanic, skinny, 5 feet 6 inches, wearing blue jeans, a black stocking cap and a black or dark blue fleece jacket.

• On July 7, 2009, a woman told the reference desk on her way out that man was talking to her and bothering her. She declined to fill out an incident report, but said if it happens again, she’d like staff to speak to the man about it. The following day, the woman’s mother called the library and said her daughter would be returning to the library, and if the man approaches her, she’ll call police. Library Director Mary Weimar called the mother back and told her that staff is aware of the man, and will call police if necessary.

• On April, 22, 2009, a woman told library staff that a man walked toward her and made a gesture like he was masturbating and spoke to her while walking past. Police were called, and while the woman did not want to press charges, the library banned him and police told the man he’d be arrested for trespass if he ever returned. The man was described as 30-years-old, blond hair, wearing an orange sweatshirt and a baseball cap.

• On Oct. 29, 2010, a woman called the library director and said the day before she was sitting on a bench in the lobby when her 6-year-old daughter came up to her. A teenage boy with light brown hair, and was wearing jeans, was sitting on a bench next to them, asked her daughter’s age, “said she was a cutie” and touched himself. The woman said she didn’t report it sooner because she wanted to leave immediately. The woman described the man as possibly having a slight disability because “he didn’t seem quite normal.” The woman also wanted to make sure he wasn’t part of the reading buddies program, and the director said she’d talk to library staff about him.

• On April 6, 2012, a woman reported that a man might be stalking her and included a photo. The staff member suggested she make a formal report, but “she did not want to cause a problem” if what she noticed was only coincidental. The staff member informed the head of IT about it.

• On June 4, 2012, police were called to the library about possible harassment. A 16-year-old girl said a 47-year-old man had been staring at her, sits near her when other areas are open and has tried to talk to her in the past. She said he has done it before and she has told library staff about it before. The man said he had done nothing, and that the girl was harassing him.  The officer spoke with Assistant Library Director Robin Wagner and she agreed to ban the man from the library for life. Police then escorted out the man. The girl’s mother declined to sign any complaints.

• On June 25, 2012, a woman overheard a man making threats, cursing and saying racial slurs. Library staff as a regular visitor who “writes and scribbles on little pieces of paper every day” recognized the man. He was described as a middle-aged white man wearing a white tshirt and a grey sweatshirt. Library staff called police and the man left the library without answering questions from the responding officer.

• On April 14, 2013, library staff called police when a man and a woman were arguing and cursing. The man called the woman “nuts,” and the woman called the man “racist.” Police escorted one of the people out of the library.

• Library Porn Viewing Sets Mother on a Mission in Orland
• Woman Changes Story About Man Touching Himself in Library
• The Orland Park Public Library's Statement on Computer Use
• Megan Fox's Full Statement on Pornography at the Orland Library

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