Do Your Books Have Booklice?

We are constantly bombarded with warnings of all sorts of grave risks. Some new disease we never heard of seems to perfectly fit the symptoms of some problem we think we have. Or, maybe there is something wrong with what we are eating, or not eating, making us ill. Maybe we aren't exercising enough, walking the required 10,000 steps daily, or aren't replenishing our electrolytes when we do. As Franklin Roosevelt never said, we have everything to fear. So here's one more for you if you are a book collector – booklice. Your books may be infested with lice.

I was not familiar with these evil-sounding creatures until a recent article in House Beautiful tipped me off. These things are real and they are everywhere, at least, everywhere that is damp and humid and a good environment for mold. If your books are in a climate-controlled room or you live in a desert environment, you are probably safe. Otherwise, there may be something living in your bookshelves you didn't know was there.

Now that you are properly scared, we can drop the alarmism. First of all, the name “lice,” which brings up images of biting, itching bugs crawling around in your hair, is inexact. Booklice are not lice at all. They are psocids. As such, they won't bite you. They don't carry disease or do anything else harmful to people. Secondly, they probably won't harm your books. They aren't like bookworms, devouring and digging holes through the pages. They don't eat paper. They are attracted by such things as the starchy paste in the bindings, or to a lesser degree, the starch in paper itself. But, they do not eat the starchy parts of your books. They are looking for the mold and fungi growing on them. That is why they appear in damp climates. They eat mold, not paper.

Though they are harmless, you probably still don't want them. Don't go to extraordinary means to remove them, like spraying or fumigating your books. You'll do more harm than the “lice.” The best remedy is to make your books uninviting. Keep them in a dry place. No mold, no booklice. If you are in a humid climate, a dehumidifier will help. Keep the humidity under 50%. Dust the shelves regularly and check your books. Silica gel will help keep moisture down.

If you are wondering how to identify them, they are a flat bug. Their heads and bodies are wide, but not so wide and round as a bed bug. They aren't pretty, but not quite as gross as the latter. They are generally 1-2 mm (0.4-0.8 inches) in size so you will be able to see if you have them. They can scurry and jump. Just don't panic. Make the environment unfriendly for them and they will go away.

Rare Book Monthly

Do Your Books Have Booklice?

Rare Book Monthly

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Do Your Books Have Booklice?

Rare Book Monthly

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