Books are wonderful and are the spine of any bibliophile’s house. We love books and we want to cherish them and look after them even in the dawn of the e-reader which threatens every book lover’s world, however I feel that people will soon tire of the new technology and come running back to their old tomes before long. But what do you do if you are a serious book collector who has many volumes for many years. Books grow increasingly fragile as they age and it is important for us, as book lovers, to protect them and keep them looking their best. We must protect out literary heritage. No one would like to see their first edition signed copy of Dracula disintegrate through negligence on their part.
Some people wish only to keep their own collection looking as mint as possible, however if you’re looking to sell any of your rare books in the future then may I suggest keeping them as sharp as possible as this means they will increase in value as they age and not decrease.
The environment they are kept in
This is one of the key factors when protecting your book collection: the room they’re housed in. You must protect them at all costs from a variety of factors that mean them harm. The temperature of the room must be constant and cool. You’ll want a place that you’re comfortable in. If you go into a room and find it too cold, too hot, too stuffy, too damp, etc, then your books won’t like it either. They like constant unchanging temperature that is cool. Direct sunlight is also something you will want to keep them away from.
Also, when finding the perfect room for your collection, make sure there are no fire threats. Fire is obviously the most dangerous factor when considering a books safety. You will want to make sure that there are no fire hazards near, as well as smoke hazards. Smoke can cause irreparable damage to your books.
The crawling nasties
We hate them and so too do books. Bugs like to eat books, although not necessarily the paper. Most book destroying bugs will feast on the glue and bindings of the books, whereas bookworms will eat away at the whole thing. To protect against them, make sure you inspect regularly to see any evidence of destruction. See here for further tips on dealing with bookworms and defending your collection.
Cleanliness is key
We have to keep our books clean. Over time dirt and dust can seriously affect the overall quality and health of a book. With old books that you buy, they might already possess dust from their previous owner. First and foremost, when you buy an old book from a dealer or shop, you must clean it and make it ready to be stored in your collection. The main areas to focus on when cleaning your tomes are in between the pages of the book and the hinges: where the main body of the book joins the cover.
Easy steps to protect your tomes:
* Only store them vertically, and not too close together
* Use a hair dryer on the coolest, slowest setting to keep dust away
* Handle with extreme care. Don’t drop or break the spines
* Mini vacuum cleaners are great for getting rid of dirt from between the pages
* NEVER use tape
Kimberly Wood is a writer and book lover who feel books are something that should be treasured. She ran a store that sold all kinds of second hand books until settling in the heart of the Cotswolds to pursue her writing career.