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Bed bugs reported at Kalamazoo area library

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - Some unwanted guests turned up at a local library last week.

Bed bugs were discovered on Friday at the Washington Square Library in Kalamazoo, which remained closed on Tuesday, as crews attempted to clear the problem.

The insects were found inside some books that were returned.

A worker put the books in plastic bags and destroyed them, but the library remains shut down as a precaution.

Jeff Spencer, Vice President at Griffin Pest Solutions, says that bed bugs are easily spread.

"They don't get into a structure by crawling through cracks and crevices and finding their way in from the outside, like most insects," he said. "These insects spread throughout our community with people."

So, as people curl up with a good book, they could soon find themselves with visitors.

"They bring the book in bed, it's in bed with them, and when the lights go out, the bugs come out," said Farrell Howe, the Library Communications Manager. "So when the lights go on, they look for a place to hide, and a book is a nice safe, snug place for them to hide."

That is why the library says they're always on the lookout.

Griffin Pest Control was on-scene on Tuesday, inspecting.

The library says they didn't find any live bed bugs but are nonetheless planning to go ahead with a heat treatment later this week.

The procedure heats the building to over 120 degrees and kills any bed bugs or eggs within minutes.