About Pierce County Library System
The Pierce County Library System, a government entity located in Tacoma, WA, experienced a data breach affecting a total of 340,101 individuals, including six residents of Maine. The breach, which was discovered on October 10, 2025, was the result of an external system breach, specifically hacking, that occurred on April 15, 2025. The breach involved unauthorized access to the library’s systems, compromising sensitive personal information.
What Happened
Earlier this year, PCLS was alerted to suspicious activity on its system. PCLS promptly took steps to secure our systems and initiated an investigation into the nature and scope of the event. The investigation determined our environment was subject to unauthorized access and between April 15 and April 21, 2025 certain files were copied and taken. In response, PCLS undertook a thorough review of the impacted systems to determine what information was present and to whom it relates. PCLS completed this review on October 10, 2025, and determined that information related to you was located within the impacted systems subject to unauthorized access.
The breach affected over 340,000 individuals, including six residents of Maine, with the unauthorized access occurring between April 15 and April 21, 2025. Sensitive information was compromised during this period.
Next Steps
Affected users are encouraged to remain vigilant against identity theft and fraud by regularly reviewing account statements and monitoring credit reports for any suspicious activity. The Pierce County Library System has notified law enforcement and is working on enhancing system security and employee training to prevent future incidents. Affected individuals will receive written notifications with detailed information about the breach and guidance on protective measures.
Identity Theft Protection Services
Pierce County Library System is offering impacted individuals complimentary access to credit monitoring and identity theft protection services through IDX for a duration of 12 months. These services include credit monitoring to detect any potential misuse of personal information. Affected individuals are encouraged to enroll in these services using the provided enrollment code and follow the instructions to activate the protections. Additionally, guidance on placing fraud alerts and security freezes on credit files is provided to help safeguard against identity theft.