Police and fire crews responded to a report of a bomb threat Thursday afternoon at the Katz Library at the University of Maine at Augusta, but they found nothing.

Police, including officers with bomb-sniffing dogs, spent several hours searching the building but discovered no explosives, according to UMA spokeswoman Rachel Paling.

People wait outside the Katz Library at the University of Maine at Augusta Thursday afternoon. Staff photo by Joe Phelan

People wait outside the Katz Library at the University of Maine at Augusta Thursday afternoon. Staff photo by Joe Phelan

Police walk outside the Katz Library at the University of Maine at Augusta Thursday afternoon. Staff photo by Joe Phelan

The building was cleared shortly before 5 p.m., about three hours after the threat initially was reported. Deputy Chief Jared Mills, of the Augusta police, said the threat came in the form of a note left in a bathroom.

Mills said the note targeted only the library building.

The building was evacuated and all classes and events in the building, which includes the Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine, were canceled for the remainder of the day. The rest of UMA remained open as usual.

The bomb threat coincided with the visit of Dr. Lawrence Gould, one of three finalists seeking to fill the university’s vacant presidency. Paling said the threat had no effect on Gould’s scheduled activities, and he is expected to remain at the school through Friday.

Augusta police Sgt. Vicente Morris told people at the scene that the Katz Library would be closed while authorities waited for a bomb-sniffing dog to arrive. Students continued to mill around on the grass outside the library for more than hour after the threat.

The Human Rights Center of Maine was scheduled to host the Pride Film Festival at 7 p.m. David Greenham, the human rights center’s program director, said the bomb threat forced the postponement of Thursday’s event. The festival will resume on Thursday, Oct. 15, with the showing of the movie “Pride.”

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