Bed bugs have spread prolifically in recent years, and as public buildings, libraries can be especially vulnerable. The internet is full of suggestions and remedies on how to kill bed bugs, but there are only a few select ways of being sure they have been fully eradicated. In this webinar, you’ll learn about prevention techniques and treatments that are safe for your collections.

1. Bed Bugs: How to protect
your library from infestation
Rebecca Shindel
Conservator
Indiana State Library

2. • Bed bug facts
• How do bed bugs enter libraries?
• Eradicating bed bugs from books safely
• Protecting your building
What you’ll learn:

3. Bed Bug Facts
(There are pictures. Prepare to be itchy.)

4. Poll: Which one is a bed bug?
A B
C
D
E

5. Poll: Which one is a bed bug?
Spider Beetle
Flea Earwig
Bed Bug -> Tick

6. The Bed Bug
Lifecycle
http://bedbugfoundation.org/en/bedbug-biology/life-cycle/
http://www.nyc.gov/html/nycha/html/newsletter/may12_bed.html

7. Bed Bug Characteristics
• Active at night
• Attracted to exhaled breath (carbon dioxide) and warmth
• Can exist alone, but tend to group together for protection and
reproduction
• Tend to stay in “nest” area and only venture out when in need of a
meal
• Only attach to host when feeding, then release and go back to “nest”

8. Bed Bug Characteristics
• Can be infected with pathogens but scientific studies have not yet
proven they can transmit them from person to person
• Can live for up to 3 months without a blood meal in normal
temperatures, longer in colder conditions
• Eggs are very hardy, but they are slow to reproduce
• Need humans to spread to new locations

9. How do these GROSS people get bed bugs?!
• Remember to practice sensitivity:
• Bed bug infestations are not caused by lack of hygiene
• People of all kinds can find themselves a victim of bed bugs
• Nobody WANTS to have bed bugs

10. Where do Bed Bugs Live and Hide?
• Bed bugs are found in all
places humans inhabit
• They hide in upholstery
(beds and furniture),
carpet, closets, luggage,
books, and also areas
where they are unlikely
to be disturbed often
(behind furniture,
pictures on walls, etc).

11. How do Bed Bugs Enter
Your Library?
• People
• Belongings
• Books

12. So how do you protect your
library?
TRAINING AND CONSTANT VIGILANCE!

13. Train your staff to look for and identify
evidence of bed bugs.
• Presence of live and dead bed bugs
• Shed exoskeletons
• Bed bug frass (feces, eggs, crushed bodies)
• Staining (blood) from crushed bed bugs

14. Frass Staining/crushed bodies
http://www.loviettepestcontrol.com/control/bedbug-control/ http://www.getridpicsofbedbugs.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/2_05.jpg

15. Incoming book check procedure
• Take a good look at the book
• Inspect all edges of book while closed: often you will see evidence here first
• Look inside covers in the hinge area
• Look behind book jacket

16. Evidence on books
https://u.osu.edu/bedbugs/files/2014/09/Bed-Bugs-in-Book-ovhcuu.jpg?w=156&h=156&crop=1
http://www.purenvironmental.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/bedbug-book2.jpg

17. If evidence is found:
• Immediately quarantine the book by placing it in a ziplock style bag
• Make sure you also quarantine any bag, box, or other materials found
with this book that you might suspect as well
• Good things to have on hand:

18. Now what do we do?
Decision time:
Discard or treat

19. Treatment Options for Books
• Heat: Most affordable option for
circulating collections.
Zapp Bed Bug Oven: About $200

20. Treatment Options for Books
PLEASE NOTE
Special collections, archives, photographs, and many older books can
suffer serious damage in a bed bug oven. Mass-market style modern
books are okay to put in, but not old, brittle, fragile books!
For items that cannot go in a bed bug oven,
professional freezing or low-oxygen (anoxia)
treatments are recommended.

21. Treatment Options for Books
Do not attempt any of the following:
• Freezing books yourself
• Spraying books with any kind of liquid
• Heating books with anything other than a bed bug oven
• Using “vapor” methods described online
• Using any powders on books

22. Protecting your building
Preventive measures to protect your collection, staff, and patrons.

23. Pest management plan
• Train staff to be able to spot
potential sources of infestation
• Incoming books (returns, ILL,
donations)
• Seating areas
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/06/garden/bedbugs-hitch-a-ride-on-library-books.html?_r=0
• Monitor your library
• Bed bug sniffing dog yearly, twice
yearly, or quarterly depending on
how prolific the problem is in your
community
• Bed bug traps for furniture items

24. Questions?

25. Image credits:
Bug Quiz:
Flea: http://pestcontrolsupplies.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/flea.jpg
Tick: http://universityanimalhospital.com/the-tick-problem/
Spider beetle: http://www.britannica.com/animal/spider-beetle
Bed bug: http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/02/11/14/0D5CB069000005DC-3442097-image-a-1_1455199459688.jpg
Earwig: http://www.knockoutpest.com/NewWordpress2015/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/earwig-earwigs.jpg