The Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library confirmed earlier this month that bedbugs were found in the facility.
The Lawrence Public Library had a similar scare in 2013. Staff quarantined some materials after a man who donated books for a library sale reported that he had bedbugs in his home. Lawrence Library Director Brad Allen says bedbugs are now a concern for any public facility.
“It’s something we’re always on the lookout for and train our staff to keep an eye out for and if there would be any issue deal with it expeditiously,” says Allen.
He says library workers look for warning signs in materials returned to the library. They even have special warming boxes for heating materials if needed.
“It just warms it up to where things won’t catch on fire but then it’ll kill the bedbugs. Heat is one good way to kill them off,” says Allen.
He says they haven’t had any issues with bedbugs in recent years. He urges anyone who finds bedbugs in their home to alert library staff when returning materials so the insects don’t spread to the library.