When you think of bed bugs in universities you would normally picture a dorm room or apartment. But bed bugs can be found anywhere on campus, and as Colorado State University recently found out the library is an ideal place for bed bugs to live.

The bugs were found in a section of the library open 24/7, a prime place for both students and bed bugs to sleep. Luckily library officials reacted quickly by shutting down the area and checking the rest of the library to make sure the issue wasn’t more widespread. They also brought in an exterminator for immediate treatment, followed by a steam cleaning protocol on the furniture going forward. This kind of multi-treatment approach, especially when utilizing heat, is a great way for institutions to fight bed bugs.

The building was kept closed for a week of treatment of all furniture. Furthermore, before the decision was made to reopen the building the college had it inspected by three separate groups to make absolutely sure that no bed bugs remained. While this may seem like an overreaction we’ve found that being as cautious as possible is the best way to combat bed bugs. If you fight back quickly and thoroughly you can stop bed bugs before it becomes insurmountable.