A microwave can be used to heat different foods: already cooked food, a cup of water to prepare tea or the leftovers from the night before. But in no case should it be used to “heat” books in an attempt to disinfect them. As surreal as it may sound, this is something that is happening in Florida, where the heads of some libraries have had to ask that do not put books in the microwave.
According to the Tampa Bay TimesThere are librarians who have been given back practically scorched books. Apparently, some library users fear that they may be infected with the coronavirus and therefore put them in the microwave. “I think people she is very stressedThey do not always know what to do. Surely they thought they were doing the right thing. It was not intentional destruction, “he explains. Cheryl Morales, de la Pinellas Public Library Cooperative.
“Some libraries began to realize what was happening when they received books that had been burned. When they asked users, they said ‘oh, I have put the book in the microwave and it has exploded,’ ”says Morales.
What many libraries usually do is leave some of the books that are returned quarantined for three to four days before making them available to users again. There are other libraries that have had to explain on their social networks that heating books in the microwave is not a good idea.
“In the wake of recent events, we would like to remind you that do not put the books in the microwave in an attempt to disinfect them. Firstly, this is not how microwaves work and secondly, the books contain some metal pieces that could catch fire in the microwave ”, can be read in a post from the Largo Public Library.
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