Borrowers may be asked to replace damaged library books, as stains, moisture and other damage can make them unsuitable for circulation and risk harming other materials.
At Tallinn Central Library, stains and spills are a year-round issue — from coffee and leaking water bottles to seasonal fruits and berries. Even if a book appears intact, it may still need replacing if exposed to moisture.
"Books damaged by liquids or moisture generally aren't returned to shelves because they can cause damage to the surrounding books," said Triinu Seppam-Saar, the library's director of services.
She noted that moisture can lead to mold, damaging both books and furniture.
Because libraries often cannot determine what caused damage to a book, however, they take a strict approach.
"We usually only know if the patron tells us," Seppam-Saar said. "That's why we always ask for books with moisture or liquid damage to be replaced."
Seen and heard it all
Some borrowers will try to explain or excuse other wear or damage to their books, citing everything from conditions at home to younger siblings, melted ice cream and even pets, but libraries maintain the same standard regardless.
Librarians also encounter a variety of unusual items left between pages. Staff have found everything from toothpicks to nail clippers, and toilet paper used as bookmarks is a recurring theme.
"Once we found a pantyliner," said Liis Konovalov, a librarian at Südalinna Library. Unsure what to make of it at first, she finally settled on it just being what the reader had handy at the time.
Other unexpected finds have included artificial nails, eyelashes and even dead insects and spiders — likely accidental additions.
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Editor: Aleksander Krjukov, Aili Vahtla