[yscon] Need advice - Lice and Libraries

[Costley, Enid (LVA)]

Well I am scratching my head over this one.

A library director asked about having a conversation with a parent about a child they think has lice.

*         The library does not have policy in place about lice.

*         Lice infection is not consider a health issue in Virginia.   The director has already contact the Department of Health to see if they had lice treatment kits which might be used - they do not.

*         I am will be contacting Head Start and my contact at Virginia Department of Health that is an expert on this topic to get some advice.

*         I suggested contacting a school nurse for advice on having a conversation with the parent.

As I see it there are three issues.

What to do to check that the Library is not infested and treatment.

Create a policy on dealing with these types of pests and the big question - should the public be alerted - should the patron be banned?

How to have the conversation with the parent and what should be said.  Knowing in this case the parent might not have the funds to purchase a kit.



This is the information I have gathered so far

This can happen to any library - in December it happened at the Library of Congress.
http://www.nytimes.com/1989/01/01/us/head-lice-infestation-found-in-library-of-congress-rooms.html

This is a common question that is asked by camp managers - the website here contain a sample let to the editor, links to CDC Library of Congress
American Camp Association - https://www.acacamps.org/resource-library/lice-tips-camps

Youtube picture books story
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_INKfBHfc0


Here is a sample wording from the Los Angeles Public Library
http://www.lapl.org/about-lapl/rules-conduct
1.        Patrons with hygiene conditions, including, but not limited to, clothing odor, body odor and lice, that interfere with the use and enjoyment of the library by other library patrons or with the functioning of library staff.


When looking a policy and procedures - this might be similar to bed bugs.
Bed Bug Protocol
https://kdla.ky.gov/librarians/administrators/Documents/Bed%20Bug%20Protocol.pdf

webinar on bedbug ( beware there are with pictures)
http://www.ala.org/pla/sites/ala.org.pla/files/content/onlinelearning/webinars/archive/PLA_Kittrell_Dont-let-the-bed-bugs-bite_Final.pdf

Wealth of help on the CT Library site on bedbugs
http://libguides.ctstatelibrary.org/dld/help/bedbugs



Enid Costley
Children's and Youth Services Consultant
Library of Virginia
800 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219
804.692.3765
enid.costley at lva.virginia.gov

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