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Palatine library to reopen Friday after bedbug discovery

The main Palatine Public Library closed today while crews inspected the 90,000-square-foot building after the discovery of two dead bedbugs there Wednesday evening.

A staff member found the two bugs on a table in an isolated room at the library, located at 700 N. North Court, according to a statement on the library's website.

“Palatine library is taking a strong proactive approach to resolve this incident quickly, and will continue to monitor and mitigate the issue to minimize patron contact,” the statement reads.

Inspectors completed a visual examination and did not encounter any other bugs, library Director Anthony Auston said Thursday. No eggs or larva were found, and inspectors believe the bugs fell off an exposed patron, he added.

All programs and events scheduled at the Main Library were canceled for the day, and no materials will be due until the main library reopens.

The library's two other branches, the North Hoffman branch in Hoffman Estates and the Rand Road branch in Palatine, are open.

The library is expected to reopen for normal hours on Friday. Patrons can check the library's website, Facebook, and Twitter for updates.

No bites or evidence of bug waste have been reported. Auston said the library plans to do a quarterly inspection in the future.

“While we regret the inconvenience of closing the library, we believed that was the responsible approach,” he said.

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