After a police officer directed us away from the Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress, several of us researchers made our way to the back entrance of the Madison Building. When we got inside, we heard another police officer say that we were the last ones in the Library because of a lockdown. This sounded pretty good to me and another researcher, since we could spend lockdown getting some real research done in the Library.
Well, I didn't make it to the reading room I was intending to go to. Instead, the Newspaper and Current Periodicals Reading Room kindly welcomed me in to what became a sheltering in place due to a bomb threat nearby. Eventually, we were told to evacuate and go home.
I must say that it wasn't a terrible experience. The Library of Congress staff were very calm, kept us aware of what was going on, and were very kind. As I made my way through the Library from beginning to end, I learned quickly what was going on from the police, police walkie talkies, staff, and other readers. I knew that the staff was well prepared for such evacuations, since over the years we had evacuated for fire drills, etc. People in all sorts of positions were just very kind and thoughtful.
Yet another reason to say: The Library of Congress is Great!
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