Hey there everyone,

It’s been a pretty sad day today over at my Alma mater,  Florida State University. At about 12:30 am this morning, an armed gunman walked into Strozier Library and opened fire. When Tallahassee Police and FSU Police arrived, the gunman shot at them and was killed.

Thankfully, no students were killed. Three people were injured – one in critical condition, one stable and one already released after being treated on the scene. Given that the library had about 300 students studying for finals, I’d say we’re very lucky the damage wasn’t greater. I have friends and colleagues who work/study in that library, so you can understand how this news really concerned me.

The Tallahassee Democrat has been giving up-to-the-minute information as it comes in on the matter, if you’d like to read more.

 While this a travesty, I’m still very thankful for the rapid response of FSU and Tallahassee Police. FSU quickly put out a text alert to students to warn them:

“*FSU ALERT!* Dangerous Situation! Main Campus – Tallahassee…Seek shelter immediately, away from doors and windows.”

If there’s one thing we librarians are good at, it’s getting information out there! It’s a good reminder that we should all be aware of our surroundings, both librarians and society in general. Has your library or department had a safety meeting lately? Maybe it’s time for a refresher on staying safe!

…Oh, and FSU President John Thrasher announced that the library should be open tomorrow. Talk about hardcore.

Neil deGrasse Tyson, everyone.

Stay safe this week everyone,

Justin Brasher, Brash Librarian