Do pathogens lurk in library books?

The discovery of pathogenic bacteria in the late 19th century led librarians to ask whether their books might spread disease. Microbiological investigations over the following decades found that certain bacteria could be isolated at low levels from books used by persons carrying infections. UK public health legislation prohibited the return of library books from households where a case of notifiable disease had dwelt, and this idea was taken up to varying degrees in Australian states and New Zealand. Libraries enthusiastically promoted themselves as hygienic and many put in place likely ineffective formaldehyde fumigation of returned books. Each new pandemic reignites this concern, but no evidence has been found that library users or staff are at risk of acquiring infections from books.