YPSILANTI – The Ypsilanti District Library announced this week that the downtown location will be closed until further notice after a staff member spotted bedbugs inside the building Tuesday morning.
Library staff say evidence of bedbugs was found at the downtown location on Michigan Avenue only, and noted that pest control efforts are already underway. The building will remain closed until treatment is completed, a library spokesperson confirmed in a news release. They did not specify where in the building the bedbugs were found.
“Trained staff are committed to executing our procedures and enforcing our policies to protect our patrons, materials, and facilities, the release stated. ”For that reason, anyone with a bedbug issue at their residence is prohibited from entering any YDL location."
Bedbugs are small, flat insects that feed on the blood of animals and humans, typically at night. Despite their name, bedbugs can be found in any crack or crevice they could hide in, from chair cushions, mattresses and sofas to along baseboards or behind electrical outlets.
Library patrons with previous bedbug issues must provide staff with “written proof” from a landlord or licensed pest control company that their residence has been treated, re-inspected and eradicated of bedbugs before they can visit any YDL branch.
Just last month, the Royal Oak Public Library closed for approximately 24 hours after a monthly inspection revealed a bedbug infestation. Bedbugs also prompted a brief closure of the Oak Park Public Library in 2024.
In the statement issued Tuesday, YDL staff called the closure an “unfortunate occurrence,” and assured library visitors of their commitment to maintaining a “clean and safe environment.”
“[We] will reopen as soon as we can.”
All other Ypsilanti library branches remain open.