Ancient Library Battles Beetle Invasion

The Pannonhalma Archabbey, a millennium-old Benedictine monastery in Hungary, is currently grappling with a significant threat to its extensive book collection. Drugstore beetles, small insects typically found in dried foodstuffs, have infested approximately 100,000 volumes in the library, which houses around 400,000 books in total.

This UNESCO World Heritage site, one of Hungary's oldest centers of learning, is undertaking a massive preservation effort. Restoration workers are meticulously removing the affected books from shelves and placing them in crates. These crates will then be sealed in hermetic plastic sacks, from which all oxygen will be extracted. The books will remain in this pure nitrogen environment for six weeks, a process aimed at eradicating the beetles.

The library's collection is of immense historical and cultural value, containing some of Hungary's earliest written records. It includes 19 codices, with a complete Bible from the 13th century, and several hundred pre-printing press manuscripts. While the oldest and rarest books are stored separately and remain unaffected, any damage to the collection represents a significant loss to Hungary's cultural heritage.

Experts believe climate change may have exacerbated the infestation, as rising temperatures in Hungary have allowed the beetles to undergo more developmental cycles annually. The abbey hopes to reopen the library at the beginning of next year, after thoroughly inspecting and restoring the affected books.