Bed Bugs 980
A University of Washington official says employees found bed bugs in some returned library books. (AP Photo)

Bed bugs invade University of Washington library

BY Josh Kerns  on December 7, 2012 @ 9:30 am (Updated: 9:45 am - 12/7/12 )

Talk about a scary book coming to life. A University of Washington official says employees found bed bugs in some returned library books.

Word of the creepy crawlers comes in a new report from The New York Times, which says it's a growing problem across the country.

Stephanie Lamson, head of preservation services at the UW, says she gave the bugs the cold shoulder, putting the books in a plastic bag in a freezer for a week at the natural history museum. Employees checked the books for bugs after the week at minus 18 degrees Fahrenheit, then put them back in the freezer for another week just to make sure they were pest free.

Lamson says she went with cold because heat speeds a book's aging.

The Times story has sparked plenty of attention and concern, suggesting it's a widespread problem nationwide. It says people might want to think twice about reading library books in bed because the bugs and their eggs can hide in the spines of hardcover books then crawl out at night to eat. It also says some people have stopped checking out books altogether.

The head of the King County Library System tells the Seattle Times he hasn't heard of any bed bugs in their books, but exterminators the system uses are on alert just in case.

A spokeswoman for the Seattle Public library says there haven't been any reports of bed bugs in their books either.

While the New York Times calls it an epidemic, other reports are raising some serious doubts. The Reluctant Habits blog says the report is misleading. It says many libraries have taken preventative measures because of recent media stories, not an actual infestation.

"The odds of you picking up a bed bug from a book in a library are so low that it's not even worth talking about," said Michael Potter a professor of entomology at the University of Kentucky in Lexington.

In fact, a recent study finds the threat of bed bugs in libraries is far lower than hotels, college dorms, movie theaters and other public places.

Josh Kerns, MyNorthwest.com Reporter
Josh Kerns is co-host of KIRO Radio's Seattle Sounds (Saturday nights 7-8) and a digital content producer for MyNorthwest.com.
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Comments (7)


  • Add A Comment

  • shark75 wrote...
    Nobody panic!! They're "Obama Bedbugs"
    December 7, 2012 9:14 am
    They're free and they are cool and they are the new norm. You'll learn to like them like high unemployment, high taxes, and a high misery index...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    Sorry Sharky
    December 7, 2012 9:40 am
    But these are definitely GOP/Koch Brother/tea Party Bed Bugs left over from the past election cycle.Remember you need to be careful who you sleep with Sharky.What has yet to be reported is that most everyone at the Fox Network and Koch Ind. has the DRIP
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ron prevost wrote...
    Go to it, guys. This is funnier than what I was going to post.
    December 7, 2012 9:56 am
    But those of you enjoying your now legal dates with Mary Jane had best be advised to watch out for Eric Holder bugs.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Snout wrote...
    Yet another reason
    December 7, 2012 10:13 am
    To buy your own books. Who knows what's on those library books? Who knows if George took it into the bathroom with him?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • shark75 wrote...
    Yes messiah101, they are GOP/Koch Brother/tea Party Bed Bugs...
    December 7, 2012 10:29 am
    Please remain stoned/forgetful for an additional 4 years. Hopefully you'll forget to cast your misguided vote in Nov of 2016...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    Sharky
    December 7, 2012 11:12 am
    Actually the Dems won't need my 1 vote Hillary will likely win in a landslide
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • gaymarriedchristianfromhollywood wrote...
    Hey, he might be on to something though.
    December 7, 2012 12:41 pm
    What happens if we all forget to vote? To the bat cave fellow stoners. NOW...or you know, whenever.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }