Kent District Library said a ransomware event caused a computer outage that closed branches across Kent County, Michigan, and disrupted public access to some library services.
The library said on its status page that it was investigating a “recently discovered ransomware event” affecting “certain systems and services,” and that third-party digital forensic and cybersecurity specialists were helping restore full functionality.
"Kent District Library is investigating a recently discovered ransomware event that is affecting the operability of certain systems and services. Upon discovery, we immediately initiated an investigation to determine the full nature and scope of the event. We are working diligently to investigate this matter with the assistance of third-party digital forensic and cybersecurity specialists and securely restore full functionality to our affected systems as quickly as possible. Thank you for your patience and support!"
The outage began Friday, when the library said its computer systems were down and branches would close. The closure remained in effect over the weekend, and most locations remained closed Monday.
The ransomware was publicly acknowledged Monday evening, when Kent District Library sent an email to patrons saying the outage was due to a “ransomware event,” according to WOOD-TV.
No public ransomware claims were found online, and the library did not respond to a DysruptionHub email seeking comment.
Some branches were expected to reopen Tuesday with limited services, including Wi-Fi, material checkout, scheduled programs and study rooms, while public computers, printers, copiers and gaming labs remained unavailable. Online services, including Libby, hoopla and Kanopy, remained available.
The library said it is reviewing whether any personal information was affected and would notify patrons if it determines personal information was involved. It also urged patrons to change passwords at other institutions, such as banks, if they reused the same password for their library account.
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Kent District Library is based in Comstock Park and serves communities across Kent County in the Grand Rapids area through a network of branch libraries and mobile services.
The library outage follows other cyber incidents affecting public libraries. INC Ransom claimed responsibility for a 2025 attack on Pierce County Library System in Washington, which later notified more than 336,000 people of a data breach. Delaware’s 35 public libraries lost public computer and internet services after a 2024 ransomware attack attributed in reporting to RansomHub. Fort Bend County Libraries in Texas spent months recovering from a 2025 cyber incident that disrupted its website, catalog and eLibrary services, though no actor has been publicly confirmed.
The library has not publicly identified a threat actor or ransom demand, and it has not said when all systems and branches will fully return to normal operations.
