Why library book spines became bed bug hotspots
Public library systems in several North American cities have been notifying readers this year: live bed bugs and their eggs have been found on returned hardcover books, concentrated in the glued seams where spines meet covers. Libraries have long been seen as low-risk public spaces, but practice shows the inner lining and glued seams of hardcover spines provide exactly what bed bugs need — darkness, narrow gaps, and paper fibers to cling to. Some libraries admit that traditional visual checks of returned books can no longer cope with current borrowing volumes and pest pressure.
US and Canadian libraries bring in hot-air return boxes
To stop pests spreading through inter-library circulation, libraries in Toronto, Chicago, Vancouver, and elsewhere have begun deploying patented “hot-air return boxes.” Returned books first enter a sealed chamber, where air at around 60°C circulates for 30 to 60 minutes, ensuring bed bugs of all life stages and eggs hiding in page and spine crevices are killed before books go back into circulation. Libraries stress the process doesn’t damage paper or bindings, and the equipment is now part of daily collection maintenance.
Three self-protection tips for readers
- After borrowing, check spine crevices and inside back covers for black fecal spots or shed skins;
- After reading, put the book in a sealed bag, and hot-dry your clothes and cloth bag when you get home;
- If you find suspicious bites at home, see How to tell bed bug bites apart; for a systematic home treatment plan, see How to handle bed bugs yourself.