2025 Poster Session

Effective Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a crucial element of preventive conservation, safeguarding collections from damage caused or signaled by pests. However, raising awareness and prompting action within an institution can be challenging, especially among staff not directly involved in pest monitoring. This challenge is compounded by the complex, data-heavy nature of IPM programs, which often require specialized knowledge to analyze and interpret.

At the University of Arizona (UofA) Libraries Special Collections, a small preservation team of four oversees a building-wide IPM program to monitor pest populations and mitigate their risk to the collection. Following a recent update to our program, we saw an opportunity to implement creative communication methods to enhance staff engagement and familiarity with the program—one such method was our in-house 'Bug Bulletin'. So far, this approach has proven effective in increasing overall awareness and participation in the IPM program.

The 'Bug Bulletin' is a quarterly internal report designed to demystify IPM, inform staff about current pest activity, and equip them with knowledge to support pest-prevention efforts. Limited to four pages, it combines practical updates on pest occurrences with engaging content, including short pest profiles, fun facts about common pests, recognition of highly engaged staff, and best practice recommendations. Special attention was given to creating visually appealing layouts and using clear, non-technical language to ensure accessibility across all departments—whether administrative, facilities, or curatorial.

The bulletin's impact has been twofold: it elevated IPM as a shared institutional responsibility and enhanced staff members' ability to recognize early signs of pest infestations. By incorporating visuals and humor, the 'Bug Bulletin' has transformed how staff approach this otherwise unappealing subject matter, making it more engaging. Informal feedback from colleagues suggests that the bulletin has inspired closer observation and a greater adherence to pest-prevention practices.

Beyond increasing engagement, the success of the 'Bug Bulletin' has sparked discussions about adapting other internal communication strategies, encouraging a more interdisciplinary and integrated approach to preventive conservation. This project has highlighted the value of innovative, staff-wide communication strategies at the UofA Libraries Special Collections in strengthening preventive efforts and building institutional resilience against pests. In the end, IPM and other preservation strategies greatly benefit from institution-wide support, understanding, and engagement.