Bedbug Free, Library Opens Today

All three branches of the Hamden Public Library will open as usual this morning as the inspection and extermination process is complete, and while evidence of bedbugs was found at Miller Memorial Library, none was found at the two branches.

Library officials posted a notice on its website and Facebook page Sunday night detailing the events of the last few days since an anomymous patron made the call that started the process in motion that led to calling in the exterminator and closing the library on Friday.

"On Friday, August 17 all Miller Library materials identified by Quest Pest Control's K-9 unit as possibly containing bed bugs or their eggs were heat treated for a prolonged period at a temperature of 130 degrees. We are assured this treatment is the most effective way to kill the bugs, eggs and larvae. Thanks to library staff who were willing to give up their weekend time, these materials were returned to the shelves on Saturday," the statement said.

"All areas of the library, including offices, storage areas, utility rooms, restrooms and the Friends of the Library's Second Hand Prose Bookstore on the lower level, were inspected, as well as the stacks and public service desk areas, to identify the materials that needed to be treated. On Saturday, the K-9 unit inspected both the Brundage Community Branch on Circular Avenue and Whitneyville Branch on Carleton Street. No evidence of the presence of bed bugs was found in either branch building."

The Quinnipiac Valley Health District was contacted, even though bed bugs aren't considered a health hazard, according to the statement, and bedbugs hadn't been seen by anyone at Miller.

"Hamden Public Library and the Town administration has worked closely with Qiunnipiac Valley Health District in North Haven on this matter. Officials there assure us that the precautions we are taking are both prudent and proactive. According to their experts, bedbugs cause no health hazard and are considered only to be a nuisance. For further information on bedbugs, the public is urged to visit the health department's website (www.qvhd.org) or call them at 203-248-4528

"It should be noted that no bedbugs or visible evidence of their presence has been seen by anyone in the Miller library building at any time. Action was taken based on an anonymous phone call from a woman who said she had found a bedbug in a book she had borrowed from the library. She would not identify herself nor the book so there was no way to investigate the details of her report. Quest Pest Control was contacted within an hour of her phone call and the first inspection of Miller Library was made at 8 a.m. the next morning."

Anyone with book they checked out before the scare is asked to return them in a ziplock bag in order to assure that the bugs are not again brought into the building.

"Patrons who have any concerns about materials they have borrowed from the library are advised to return them to any of our 3 branches in sealed Ziplock bags. We thank the public for their patience and understanding regarding this matter. We regret any inconvenience this has caused our borrowers and want to assure them that this problem has been addressed thoroughly and expeditiously with our responsibility to the public foremost in our decision-making.

"And, finally, we would like to thank the Mayor's office and other town officials for their aid and assistance. The fact that they made this a priority resulted in a concerted effort to bring this incident to a swift and satisfactory conclusion."