[Libs-Or] Bed bugs and other uninvited guests?

[murvosh]

Carol,
I wrote a story on this topic for LJ in 2013. There's tips and links in it. Link to story is below.
It's a great opportunity to communicate with staff about how to check for pests and damage when processing books, which is what Kalamazoo Public Library (MI) and other libraries do.
It's also a good time to review policies on pests, maybe stock some really large ziplock bags in key locations so if circ staff see something suspicious, they can bag the item. Stocking. The ziplocks and telling staff about how if they are worried they can put their work clothes in the dryer for at least 30 minutes when they get home from work can be reassuring.
Personally, I'd not treat this patron any differently unless items are damaged. Then whatever policies regarding damage kick in. It's a privacy issue. You may have other patrons who are having yhe same problem, especially in apartments.
You might check in with the local health department just to make sure they aren't seeing a rise in infestations.
Heat and cold treatments work if you have books that get infested. The UW archival specialist is super helpful, as are the other library directors I spoke with. Here's the link: http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2013/07/lj-in-print/dont-let-the-book-bugs-bite/
Hope this helps.
(Speaking just for me and not my library system.)
Marta 
Marta Murvoshmurvosh at yahoo.com360-610-9642Sent from my smartypants phone.Please pardon typos from tiny keys.-------- Original message --------From: Carol Dinges <cdinges at ci.lebanon.or.us> Date: 10/4/2016  2:13 PM  (GMT-08:00) To: "Libs-Or (libs-or at listsmart.osl.state.or.us)" <libs-or at listsmart.osl.state.or.us> Subject: [Libs-Or] Bed bugs and other uninvited guests? 


Yesterday a chatty young patron announced to the circulation desk staff that they were “bombing” his house for bedbugs – and then cheerfully went on his way with the items he’d just checked
 out.  So while we’re all very happy that his family is taking their new houseguests seriously, we’re also cringing at the realization that those guests are likely to visit us, as well – naively assuming that they haven’t already.
 
Our first thought was to put holds on the items the child had checked out, then carefully check them over when they come back.  However, one realist pointed out that once the materials are
 dropped in the return bins, everything else in there is likely to become infested, as well.
 
So what’s everyone else doing about uninvited guests like these?
 
Cheers!
Carol
 
Carol Dinges
Director
| Lebanon Public Library
Tel: 541.258.4232
55 Academy Street, Lebanon, OR 97355
 
cdinges at ci.lebanon.or.us
www.lebanonpubliclibrary.com
 

 

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