Following a spate of anthrax hoaxes that hit Southern California recently, an anonymous phone threat January 13 that anthrax had been released in the Tualatin (Oreg.) Public Library closed the library and other city hall offices in the same building in the Portland suburb.
Director Ruth Kratochvil told American Libraries that about 50 people were evacuated from the library at 3 p.m., including children attending a story hour. An unidentified substance was removed from the public restroom in the lobby between the library and city offices by the Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue hazardous material team.
The police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation sealed off the building January 14. The FBI is examining phone records but there were few leads since the call was not traced when it was received. Police reported the next day that the unidentified substance tested negative for anthrax and other biohazards. The building reopened January 15.
Posted January 25, 1999.