Dupage Policy Journal

Former Downers Grove librarian Regina Hardin provided commentary on threats at the library and her decision to step down amid retaliation from library officials after she lodged complaints and safety.

Hardin’s speech began regarding comments she said a patron made to her and continued as she discussed the reaction by Bill Budds, Downers Grove Police Department Support Services Manager, and Julie Milavec, Director of the Downers Grove Public Library District.

“He tried to tell me about his body parts in a very graphic way,” Hardin said in front of the village board. 

“He was talked to by staff and left. About a week later, he returned to harass me. He hid behind the bookshelves and attempted to take pictures of me. I went to the back room and talked to my manager, (Circulation Services Manager) Christine (Lees). She immediately said that was harassment. Julie was talking to him and returned to the back room to express her take on the matter. And in front of my fellow employees addressed me and I quote 'It's not harassment' and 'that's what you signed up for.’" 

“Well, I felt betrayed and humiliated. Our staff agreed verbally. With the help of my manager, Christine, I wrote a letter to Julie to express my disappointment at how she handled my situation as well as my safety at work. I thought that after a meeting that would change. However, it was not the case.” 

“In the next incident, in September of this year, when a man – who was banned repeatedly from talking, inquiring or having threatening conversations with numerous staff members regarding guns – sat across from me in an aggressive manner and details expressed if he had a gun right, then he killed me.” 

“As soon as I got to the back of the room, I told my manager who expressed that was not acceptable. No police were called. He continued to come into the library and is still here today. I was so scared to come to work on one occasion. I parked my car, he was there. I laid down in my car until he was out of sight, out of fear he would see me and be waiting for me up to work. On another occasion he would yell at me across the street, coming to go into work and follow me to the train tracks where I filled the shelves for 'rack at the track.' I did tell my manager, Christine, about these events and even stopped going to the train track out of fear.” 

“At this year's in-service date, Mr. Bill Budds gave a presentation on the active shooter. After the presentation, he said, If we had any questions, we could approach him, which I did. I wanted to know if the police would be involved when the behavior of patrons rises to the level of the level of illegal activity, for example, threatening to kill, harm staff or patrons. Will active shooter training be done? And why hasn't it been done? Could the police service please serve ban letters to patrons instead of staff sitting and waiting for the offender to return to serve them?” 

“On Sept. 6, I attended a village board meeting about the libraries, and I approached a village member about the library's approach to safety. He listened and said he would look into the matter. On Sept. 13, 2022, I was brought into the room with my manager and given a letter of 'employment improvement plan,' which included coming in once a week to go over my goals for three months. I was humiliated. The nature of this letter was nothing short of workplace retaliation. Because I expressed my concern to Bill Budds, the village council Ian and Julie felt betrayed and undermined. Adding two other incidents which were either untrue or not true. I talked to Bill Budds regarding the letter and expressed some of the details were inaccurate and asked if he would talk to Christine, which he did. I'm not sure what details she told Bill Budds about my employment improvement plan. So when I returned to work, a newly revised letter was waiting for me. Not only was it still very upsetting to me, but parts were still not true or any inaccurate. I love the library and never intended to leave, but I was so devastated, Emily, that I had been threatened and harassed. I was now on an employment improvement plan for talking about or expressing my fears.” 

“I knew I could no longer work where workplace retaliation was active. I know I don't stand alone in my feelings or other staff who feel the same way but can't express it. And now I know why. My husband and I considered talking to an attorney, but we would like to extend the time to the board to look into this matter. This is extremely devastating to me having to resign over fear and workplace retaliation.”

Hardin: ‘I felt betrayed and humiliated’

Many others spoke at a Wednesday night meeting at Downers Grove Public Library after a FOIA of incidents at the library turned up numerous cases of threats and harassment that library officials refused to acknowledge. Leading some, like Hardin, to complain public safety was at risk after repeat offenders were allowed into the building. 

"Offenses listed included, but not limited to, physical assault on a patron, shoving an employee, explicit language, interfering with another person's comfort or safety, drunk and disorderly conduct, indecent exposure," Downers Grove resident Jim Devin said according to CBS News. "Doesn't the library have an obligation to its patrons to make sure its space is as safe as possible?"

The string of incidents was uncovered after library officials canceled a Drag Queen Bingo and drag performance after other alleged “threats” police also said were not credible. GOP Precinct Committeemen District 141 Terry Newsome said the only threats from locals were not from conservatives and were limited to when a man threatened to “show up in drag and fight” him after he spoke out with many others about the drag show at a Downers Grove Village Board meeting.

Kara Dansky, a lifelong Democrat, activist, feminist author and president of the U.S. Chapter of Women’s Declaration Women International, told Chicago's Morning Answer Democrats have been inappropriately pushing gender identity in political terms such as the canceled drag show at Downers Grove Library. Danksy said the entire "trans" movement is built on a lie pushed by self-described "queer theorists," who believe sex is a social construct that doesn't really exist. 

“It’s really important to understand that this is just hypersexualization. If libraries and schools presented women behaving in that hypersexualized manner, it would never be allowed," Dansky said.