Palo Alto's Mitchell Park Library is closing at 6 p.m. Sept. 23 to allow a pest control company to inspect and treat a small area within the library where bed bugs have been found.
City staff was notified Wednesday that bed bugs were in two chairs on the first floor, which was then cordoned off from the public, according to a city press release.
The library will remain closed for the next several days as pest control inspectors treat the furniture and surrounding surfaces. They will return in seven to 10 days to ensure the treatment has been effective.
Officials said they aim to reopen the library on Sunday, Sept. 27, at 2 p.m.
Bed bugs are not an uncommon occurrence at libraries as they can be transported through the sharing of books, according to the city. Mitchell Park Library shares books within a large region and through the Link+ system.
The city will also be sending dogs who have the ability to identify bed bugs through their scent to inspect the other four city libraries.
The closure of Mitchell Park Library should not impact the Community Center or Ada's Cafe, the press release notes.