With no beds to recline on while reading, a library may seem an unlikely place to find bedbugs, but local library staff say the pests can be an occasional problem that they try to deal with swiftly.
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The Logan County District Libraries have been using this special box for three years to heat suspect items up to 130 degrees and hold them at that temperature for at least two hours to kill bedbugs. (EXAMINER PHOTO | REUBEN MEES) |
With an average of 30,000 items per month going home with individuals who visit the Logan County District Libraries’ five locations, items can come back with the bugs, Director Judy Goodrich said.
“Just like every other public entity, we do deal with them,” Mrs. Goodrich said, noting that the library staff has received training on how to eradicate them.
The libraries’ fiscal officer Stacy Sandy, who also handles safety issues, takes care of cases of bed bugs when they arise.
The key is isolating a potentially contaminated item and getting it into a specially designed “heat box” that heats the item to 130 degrees and keeps it at that temperature the minimum of two hours, which is the most effective way to kill bed bugs.
“Each item is checked upon its return and when and if any employee sees a bedbug, they put it in a sealed bag and it goes into the heat box,” Ms. Goodrich said. “Our front line staff is very excellent at identifying issues.”
“Due to their diligence, we are lucky we have never had an infestation,” Ms. Sandy said.
Read complete story in Friday’s Examiner.
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