Posted on August 7, 2024

Elkhart Library Basement Turns Out to be Fight Club Elkhart

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Elkhart, IN — Patrons of the downtown Elkhart Public Library were stunned this week after a late-night janitor accidentally uncovered a fully operational underground fight club in the library’s basement.

“It was behind the history section,” said Marlene Davies, a longtime library employee who has worked there since 2007. “One moment I was reshelving Civil War biographies — the next I heard chanting and someone yelling ‘two men enter, one checks out.’ I thought it was a very aggressive book club until I heard someone hit the floor.”

According to Elkhart Police, the club had apparently been running since at least 2019 under the code name “Book Brawlers.” Officers believe it was founded by a small group of library regulars who met during a trivia night and bonded over a shared interest in both literature and low-stakes combat. Over time, the group allegedly grew in both size and structure, eventually operating a full bracketed fight schedule out of a basement room once designated for storing outdated encyclopedias and forgotten VHS instructional tapes.

Participants were reportedly recruited in secret through overdue notice envelopes, which appeared ordinary at first glance but were occasionally marked with cryptic handwritten notes. Some read “You’ve been selected.” Others contained Dewey Decimal coordinates or vague riddles. One anonymous tipster said his invitation was hidden behind the due date slip of a Tom Clancy novel and included the phrase “Silence is strength. Strength is overdue.”

One bystander who witnessed part of the incident, and asked not to be identified by name, said he had just come in to use the public printer. Still visibly shaken and clutching a children’s book, he explained, “I was holding Green Eggs and Ham. Then some guy in a DeWalt hoodie did a flying elbow off the microfiche machine. I think he yelled something about knowledge being power. It was a lot.”

Police are still trying to determine how the fight club managed to operate undetected for so long. According to surveillance footage reviewed by investigators, several matches took place inside what was believed to be a locked storage area labeled “Staff Only.” One room, now sealed off, was reportedly outfitted with folding chairs, discarded textbooks, and a chalkboard with what appeared to be a tournament bracket drawn across it. There were also stacks of old dictionaries used as makeshift weights and padding made out of shredded book jackets.

Sources say matches were organized quietly and occurred after closing hours. Participants entered through a side alley door using library cards that had been modified with magnetic strips. One security officer described the group’s operations as “surprisingly well-organized for a bunch of dudes fighting in cardigans.”

The reigning champion of the group, identified in internal documents as “The Librarian,” remains unconfirmed. Multiple sources described her as a substitute teacher who always wore gloves, carried a pocket thesaurus, and only spoke in whisper-level tones. Rumors claim she once defeated three challengers in a row without raising her voice above a whisper.

Authorities believe the club enforced its own internal code of conduct. Matches were said to begin and end with a formal nod, and noise above a certain decibel level was discouraged. Instead of traditional cheers, spectators reportedly snapped their fingers, in a nod to beat poetry etiquette. One eyewitness said the loudest anyone ever got was when someone got hit with an atlas and accidentally knocked over a coffee mug.

When asked for comment, the Elkhart Public Library issued a short written statement. It read, “We are aware of the situation and have removed Fight Club from our list of approved programs.” No further explanation was offered. The library’s event calendar for next month now includes a red asterisk next to all evening events, along with the phrase “Now strictly non-contact.”

While some residents expressed concern, many were more amused than outraged. One regular library patron, who said he had noticed “some weirdly fit guys checking out old law books,” admitted the whole thing made a certain amount of sense. “I always wondered why the historical fiction section smelled like Icy Hot.”

Others in the community were less supportive. One concerned parent called the club “a dangerous misuse of public space,” adding that her daughter had gone to study and came back quoting Sun Tzu and shadowboxing.

Despite the police shutting it down, whispers continue that the club may reform elsewhere under a new name. Flyers disguised as Sudoku puzzles have begun appearing on bulletin boards around town. One such flyer, when folded a certain way, reads “New chapter begins soon.” Another contains a QR code that links to a blog post titled “The Dewey Decimators Return.”

According to police, no arrests have been made, but several library cards have been suspended pending further investigation. The janitor who made the discovery was given a bonus and two days off. When reached for comment, he simply said, “I just came to mop the floors. Instead I saw a grown man body slam another over a disagreement about Jane Austen.”

As of press time, several regulars were seen leaving the building whispering, “You didn’t hear it from me, but next week’s main event is Battle of the Bookworms.” Whether that event actually takes place remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: in Elkhart, even the quietest buildings might be hiding a fight club under the floorboards.

City officials say they are reviewing library protocols and may add evening security staff to prevent future unauthorized activities. For now, the library has resumed normal operations, although the downstairs VHS room remains closed to the public “until further notice and possible exorcism.”

In the meantime, residents are left wondering what other secrets might be hiding behind the shelves of their local library. One patron summed it up best when she said, “I came for a book on home repairs. I left with a story about a man using a thesaurus like a nunchuck. And honestly, it made my whole week.”