• Over 100,000 historic books are under threat from a drugstore beetle infestation in Hungary's Pannonhalma Archabbey.
• The abbey, a UNESCO World Heritage site founded in 996, is home to one of Hungary's oldest collections of written works.
• Restoration teams are implementing a rigorous disinfection process to save the affected books.
• Climate change may have exacerbated the beetle problem by creating more favorable conditions for insect life.
• The library aims to reopen by the beginning of next year after the infestation is resolved.

The Pannonhalma Archabbey, a notable UNESCO World Heritage site in Hungary, is taking urgent measures to protect its library from a severe infestation of drugstore beetles, threatening approximately 100,000 centuries-old books. Restoration workers have begun removing these handbound volumes to initiate a disinfection process aimed at eradicating the tiny pests that have taken residence within them, according to NPR, TRT Global, and LA Times.

The beetles, which are often found in dried foodstuffs, are additionally drawn to the gelatin and starch-based adhesives used in the books. The infestation was first identified during a routine cleaning of the library, leading to the discovery of burrow holes in both the spines and pages of the affected books—a significant concern in a library housing around a quarter of the abbey's 400,000 volumes, according to LA Times, NPR, and TRT Global.

Founded in 996, the abbey has served as a crucial center of learning and culture in Hungary for over a millennium. Among its treasures are historic texts including a 13th-century Bible and numerous manuscripts predating the printing press. The significance of the library and its contents is emphasized by Ilona Ásványi, its director, who expressed her sentiments regarding the preservation of cultural heritage by stating, “a piece of culture has been lost” whenever a book is damaged, according to LA Times, NPR, and TRT Global.

The disinfection plan involves placing the infested books into hermetically sealed bags from which all oxygen is extracted, an environment designed to kill the beetles. Each book will undergo individual inspection and be vacuumed before being returned to the shelves. Any volumes showing signs of damage will be set aside for future restoration efforts, according to LA Times, NPR, and TRT Global.

Experts suggest that climate change has played a role in facilitating the infestation, with rising temperatures in Hungary allowing for increased insect activity and development cycles. Zsófia Edit Hajdu, the chief restorer, indicated that the conditions are more favorable for insect life, significantly influencing the library's plight, according to NPR, TRT Global, and LA Times.

The abbey hopes to reopen the library by early next year, underlining its commitment to preserving this irreplaceable collection, which is governed by traditional Benedictine rules prioritizing its conservation and cultural significance, according to NPR, TRT Global, and LA Times.