Vandals topple over iconic statue at Marshall Public Library

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI/KIDK) - The Marshall Public Library confirmed that someone toppled over the iconic statue of a boy outside the library.

On Sept. 20 around 1 p.m., library director Eric Suess was notified the bronze statue in front of the library had been vandalized.

The statue was created in 2003 by Doug Warnock, a local artist and Professor of Sculptural and Intermedia Studies at Idaho State University. It's called "Liberty Through Imagination," and is modeled after Warnock's son. It depicts a young boy leaving the library with arms full of books and a head full of ideas.

"It really has become an icon of the library. People really identify both the piece through the library and the library through the piece," Warnock said.

People and children have interacted with and played on the statue before, Warnock said, but not ever vandalized like this. The statue had been toppled over, breaking at the ankle of the little boy.

All that remains in front of the library is the boy's foot sitting atop a stack of books.

Police are investigating the vandalism and the library has asked Warnock to fix the statue.

"I'm so glad the library unquestionably wants to repair it," Warnock said.