The four-legged library patron might have wanted to check out, “Earl the Squirrel.”
Or, perhaps the bushy-tailed visitor was interested in the new National Geographic DVD, “The Secret Life of Squirrels.”
Regardless, library staff determined that the squirrel scampering about the library could be a distraction for more than a few readers. So after initial efforts to shoo the squirrel outdoors through an open door were unsuccessful, the long-arm of the law was summoned.
Tracy police set out a cage-trap, baited with an ear of corn, and by Wednesday morning, had the furry suspect in custody. Police Chief Jason Lichty took the animal to a wooded area near the city’s new sewage lagoons, and released it.
How the squirrel got into the library is a mystery. Lichty said that an inspection of the building could turn up no obvious holes or gaps where the animal could have gotten inside.