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Thousands of historical books are under threat from a massive insect infestation that could destroy centuries of historical records.
According to the Associated Press (AP), the Benedictine monastery of Pannonhalma in Hungary is saving books from harmful beetles.
Around 100,000 hand-bound books are being removed by restorers to begin a disinfection process that will kill any insects that have taken up residence on the pages.
The beetles were discovered on the UNESCO World Heritage site, which houses 400,000 volumes, a quarter of the library's collection.
Zsofia Edith Hajdu, the project's lead restorer, told the AP they had never seen an infestation like this before.
Historical books at Pannonhalma Abbey in Hungary may be destroyed by bark beetles. (Pannonhalma Archabbe via AP)
“This is an advanced stage of insect infestation that was found in different parts of the library, so the entire collection is classified as infested and needs to be treated at the same time,” Hajdu said.
Drugstore beetles are also called cigarette beetles.
They typically attack tobacco products, according to the Oklahoma State University (OSU) affiliate.
Adult beetles are yellowish or reddish-brown in color, oval in shape, about 1/10 inch long, and can infest the skin.
Bark beetles are known to “damage the pages and bindings of books by feeding on the paste.” (Pannonhalma Archabbey, via AP)
“They feed on the paste and cause damage to the pages and bindings of books,” the Ohio State University website says.
According to AP, Pannonhalma Abbey was founded four years before the formation of the Kingdom of Hungary in 996.
It houses the oldest and most important collection of books in the country, including a complete 13th-century Bible.
Ilona Asvanyi, director of the Pannonhalma Archabbey library, told AP that she feels “humbled” every time she enters the building.
“When I see a book that is damaged by a beetle or some other reason, I feel that no matter how many copies were produced and how easy it is to replace the book, a part of the culture has been lost.” (Pannonhalma Abbey via AP)
“When I see a book damaged by a beetle or otherwise, I feel that no matter how many copies there are and how easy it is to replace them, a part of the culture has been lost,” Ashwani added.
The Associated Press agency participated in the preparation of this material.
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