An arsonist caused over $5,000 in damage to the Main Branch Library yesterday afternoon after setting fire to some informative pamphlets he found behind the reference desk in the Library for the Blind and Print Disabled — a subsection of the Main Branch building that is only accessible from an entrance on Larkin Street. The suspect took off after his kindling handouts started to burn, but the police department's Arson Task Force caught the suspect on surveillance footage and is still searching for a suspect as of Monday.

According to Police Sgt. Daryl Fong, the suspect is described as "a black man, 20 to 40 years old with black hair wearing a black baseball cap with a white logo, black jacket, dark jeans and white shoes."

The pamphlet fire prompted the evacuation of the entire building in Civic Center, although no injuries were reported and most of the damage is only cosmetic. The special section of the library is generally closed on Sundays.

[SFEx]