NY Times Reports That Many Library Books Have Bedbugs: Does This Make You Less Likely to Check Out Books?

by SodaHead News Posted 2012/12/08 20:24:35

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	Yes	253 votes	56%
	No	196 votes	44%

The library is the home of hundreds to thousands of books and is an information hub in one's community. These days, it might also be the source of some unwanted company. Brace yourselves for it: bedbugs. According to a report by The New York Times, many library books, particularly hardcovers, contain bed bugs, which could cause serious problems for readers' homes.

The report states that the bedbugs can hide their eggs in the spine of hardcover books. Once those eggs hatch of course, all hell can break loose in your bed and throughout your home. But these little critters can cause problems to more than just your home or your bookshelf. Libraries too are susceptible to bedbugs.

According to TIME.com, bedbugs were found at libraries throughout the country beyond the spines of hardcover books, infiltrating the furniture readers sit on. Some libraries have heeded the warnings and complaints from patrons. Others, not so much. One thing's for sure. After reading this, many may think twice about buying/renting a book when there are ebooks available for pretty much everything. That could end up hurting libraries and many bookstores in the long run.

+15

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JEFF GORDON 2012/12/08 21:21:35

Yes

+20
Damn !! I thought bedbugs just like to hang out in bed - they like to read too ??????????
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More polls by SodaHead News

Grammar Freak 2012/12/30 23:33:11

No

+1
What the hell is that woman doing on that ladder in those shoes?
Oh my gawd!
Doesn't anyone else find that lacking in common sense?

Of course this threat wouldn't make me go to the library less... or to a used bookshop less. Sounds like hype to me.

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TerryAgee 2012/12/16 19:50:02

No

My campus library has mice. We still check out books and use the study rooms.

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KungPaoKat 2012/12/16 00:40:35

Yes

After living in an apartment complex that was way over run with bedbugs, I will do anything to not live though that again. No matter how many times they sprayed they couldn't get rid of them. Would have probably helped if they sprayed every apartment all at the same time instead a few in each building one day then a few different ones the next.

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Shonny 2012/12/12 04:47:06

No

+1
No, I think this is just a ploy from the maker of ebook readers. You can't tear me away from my books. I got a little itching from dusty books before, but the same thing happens when I put on sweaters that's been hanging in my closet too long.

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timothy.hill.14 2012/12/12 03:29:44

No

I'd imagine this is more of a urban problem than anything. I've used my local library for years with no problem whatever. Between my alumni privileges at my Alma mater and my local library I foresee no need to visit a urban library.

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Shonny to timothy... 2012/12/12 04:55:49

+2
Well, as an urbanite, I frequent libraries and have since I was tiny and have NEVER encountered any problem with bed bugs from anywhere, let alone from books I've checked out. I'm a university student so you can imagine my research criteria is broad, I have never had problems from books nor has my child. I believe this whole story is a farce.

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Julian 2012/12/12 00:08:56

Yes

+1
I wonder if there's a way to sterilize a book without damaging it. Microwave oven perhaps?

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Grammar... to Julian 2012/12/30 14:10:21

+1
Ha!
That's a good idea.
Bacteria are more likely to die in a freezer. But bed bugs would be zapped pretty quick in a nuker... on high, of course.
I'm going to do this from now on because I "rent" books from my friend's used book store here. I just can't afford to buy new books all the time & he only charges 1.50€ to take out a book (& there's no due date). But one considers all the weird places the book(s) might have been when looking at the smudges & smears on the pages.
Really excellent thinking.

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Julian to Grammar... 2012/12/30 19:31:12

+1
I've never tried it so I'd advise caution. Maybe experiment on a book that doesn't matter if it gets wrecked. I assume there may be a fire risk. Good luck!

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RogerCoppock 2012/12/12 00:07:58

Yes

I remember that the archive at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, was fumigated one Summer. I went to school at UW Racine/Kenosha, and made the pilgrimage to Madison to do some research one weekend. When I saw the sign, there was nothing I could do but turn around and drive back home. It was a wasted Saturday.

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Grammar... to RogerCo... 2012/12/30 14:14:31

But what a lovely drive.
I miss just hopping in the car & driving through the countryside. I wouldn't ever have a car here... faaaar too expensive & a pain in the ass to find parking (also expensive). Plus, there are really very strict rules here (that vary from ours) that I am not altogether familiar with, so whenever I drive, I get some stupid little fine for some stupid little thing that the Germans are incredibly picky about.

So I miss driving, or riding on a lazy day, down the open road. I used to drive & drive & drive & drive... usually with one foot hanging out the window & some corny a.m. radio station blaring corny music or telling/reading a story... very relaxing for me.

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Skar 2012/12/11 22:40:39

No

I haven't been to a library in almost 10 years and it's been probably 15 years or so since I actually checked a book out at one.

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Elizabeth 2012/12/11 21:48:39

Yes

That's nasty

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toosweet 2012/12/11 18:39:40 (edited)

Yes

As if book worms weren't bad enough.

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codie.paul 2012/12/11 18:10:11

Yes

I dont check out books anymore, but that definitely would have an effect on it.

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Jade 2012/12/11 15:23:49

Yes

+1
Hey i have a kindle and can check out e-books from many libraries. I can even check out kids books for my little brother. Is it the same as reading a paper book? no but it won't give me bed bugs.

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Grammar... to Jade 2012/12/30 14:19:43

A good friend of mine is an author. I could only read his book through Kindle. So I broke down & downloaded the whole mess... on my laptop & my mobile phone. It was actually kind of nice to ride on the train reading on my phone instead of lugging around a book. I found it quite freeing.
However, I cannot see that buying & lugging around a contraption just for reading is much better than lugging around a paperback. Yes, the access to an almost unlimited number of books is nice, but the contraption is expensive & if it drops (which, in my hands, it likely will) it's broken. Whereas if a book falls, I pick it up & find my place & carry on.

I think the "readers" are excellent for college & maybe high school students so they don't have to lug around those unbelievably heavy text books (I remember the back aches).

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Jade to Grammar... 2012/12/30 15:20:34 (edited)

Oh it's definitely not the same as a book. And I don't like that i have to charge it to read something. On the other hand even e-text books are cheaper than the physical copy. And e-books give me larger access to books i might not normally be able to get access to. If i have a choice of buying a book at a thrift store I would rather do that but if it's only something I can get on the internet or for cheaper on the internet? Also, I live out in the middle of nowhere at least 30 miles from any book store. If i want a book thats not at the local library I either have to drive to the book store, try to get it from inter library loan, or see if its on amazon in the kindle store.

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Danielle lamonica 2012/12/11 14:58:59

Yes

yuck worse then lice!

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strider.ranger.3 2012/12/11 11:25:15

Yes

Who needs the Library when you have the net!

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seahawk665 2012/12/11 04:58:27

No

+1
This sucks! Going to the library as a kid was the highlight of my childhood. My mom would take my sister and I to the library every few weeks. She would bring a canvas bag with us, and she would tell us that we could fill the whole bag with books. So we would run around and grab random books off of the shelves in the children's section. Every night, my mom would read the books to us, until we were old enough to read chapter books on our own. I want to be able to do that with my kids. I want to share with them my love of libraries. But I'm really afraid that the e-books and now the bed bug epidemic will make libraries obsolete for my future children. That, to me, is the saddest thing ever.

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Shonny to seahawk665 2012/12/12 04:57:20

which is the plan, I'm sure. don't trust every thing you read. fear is a dangerous thing.

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seahawk665 to Shonny 2012/12/12 05:16:50

+2
Which I'm not, obviously. If I was afraid of getting bed bugs from the library, I wouldn't have spent my entire week studying in the public library for my finals....

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Grammar... to seahawk665 2012/12/30 14:21:10

A guy further up the poll suggested nuking them.
Brilliant!
Just stick the book in the microwave for 20 seconds or so.
Zap!
No more fear. No more critters.
Excellent idea, huh?

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Wohuz 2012/12/11 04:07:20

No

+2
I love reading too much to let it stop me.

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Undead Little Red 2012/12/11 03:54:00

No

I can't remember the last time i burrowed a book from a library anyway. i buy all my books

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vio-sonne 2012/12/11 01:13:48

Yes

Ew, book bugs! If we rent 'em then better shake 'em out good.

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Grammar... to vio-sonne 2012/12/30 14:22:13

+1
...or nuke 'em.
A guy further up the poll suggested tossing the book in the microwave for a bit.
What an excellent idea, huh?
Zap! Problem solved.

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vio-sonne to Grammar... 2012/12/31 04:37:38

Yeah it is a great idea. Cooking the bugs by cooking the books.

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Grammar... to vio-sonne 2012/12/31 19:18:43

+1
Hehehe.
That's it!

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fgrtgjrtr 2012/12/11 01:02:22
ladyjane 2012/12/10 23:53:38

No

+2
I've never heard of such a thing... I would like proof of this... I guess I'm saying that I don't believe this? Anything to keep people from the information highway...

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Shonny to ladyjane 2012/12/12 04:57:57

+1
Thank you! I'm totally with you, nope, not buying it.

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addie 2012/12/10 23:44:49

No

+3
I never use the library, but that aside, the NYTimes gets so much wrong, that I do not listen to them anyway. Their fact checkers are crack heads! No insult meant to crack heads.

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Grammar... to addie 2012/12/30 14:22:53

+1
Hahaha.
Funny.

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Monty 2012/12/10 23:12:21 (edited)

Yes

i read kindle or stuff on the net mainly,or buy a book new, libraries will be obsolete soon.

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Grammar... to Monty 2012/12/30 14:23:09

+1
I hope you're wrong.

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Monty to Grammar... 2012/12/30 18:50:28

nope,with tech advancing,what use will libraries be?

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Grammar... to Monty 2012/12/30 20:10:00

Like I said, I hope you're wrong.

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addie to Grammar... 2012/12/30 23:29:57

He is very wrong, don't worry. B)

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