The library at Makkah’s Grand Mosque is using ozone technology to clean and disinfect the books and manuscripts. This initiative was taken to contain the spread of coronavirus.
The library offers books in print, digital and audio. It also offers internet access to readers. The library has stored and preserved some rare books from the Hijri period. Those books are “Al-Mustatab,” “Majmaa Al-Anhur Fi Sharh Multaqa Al-Abhur” and “Al-Ashbah Wal Nazaer.”
According to the head of the sanitization unit, Khaled Al-Zahrani, the books are cleaned and disinfected using very modern and advanced technology.
“The device accommodates 100 books, placed next to each other and it takes approximately eight hours to disinfect all books and clean them from bacteria and harmful substances,” he told Arab News.
He said that the device removes oxygen from the books and then converts it into ozone rays. This helps in the preservation of the books and are sanitized.
The ozone rays are known to have oxidants that kill microorganisms, bacteria and viruses.
According to reports, the director of the service department, Ayman Al-Sahli said that the library had more than 1,900 visitors after it reopened.
The Holy Mosque resumed Umrah in October and since then has seen more than a million pilgrims in the house of Allah.