|
I. Storage
- Books like dry weather. Keep them away from high humidity. Humidity can cause books
to mildew.
- Keep your books in a sturdy bookcase, in an upright position. Don't push them up
against the back of the bookcase, give them some airspace.
- Don't pack your books too tightly on the shelf. It causes
unnecessary stress on the books if you try to remove one.
- Keep your books out of direct sunlight.
II. Handling
- NEVER pull a book off the shelf using your index finger at the top of the spine, as most folks do. You'll damage both the top and bottom spine that way.
- ALWAYS pull a book off the shelf as follows: Near the middle of the spine area, tap the books on either side,
freeing the book you want. Pull off shelf.
- Keep your hands clean before handling your books. Hand lotion isn't a good idea.
- Since the dust jacket makes up about 3/4 of the value of a book, leave the jacket on the shelf to prevent any accidental damage.
III. Cleaning
- Personally I wouldn't clean a really old, valuable book. I would just make sure it wasn't further
damaged by keeping it away from the sun, water, dirt/soil, etc.
- For more recent collectibles (say, 1950 on), I have found that some soiling can be removed with a little
Murphy's Oil soap (spray) and a soft paper towel. Lightly spray the TOWEL (NOT the book), and very very
gently wipe the soiled area. My rule of thumb is, if I can feel it on the jacket, then it's very possible that
most of the soiling, if not all, will come off.
- Note on cleaning: PROCEED WITH CAUTION. If you're too timid, don't do it. Any excessive
rubbing will remove the finish off of the dust jacket. Stay in the white/off-white areas and away
from the lettering/color, if possible.
- Picture Covers: Caution still applies; that paper covering will come off with too much
rubbing! A gentle wipe with Murphy's Oil Soap spray or some vinegar water is all that's needed to remove light soiling.
- An artists kneading eraser is a wonderful thing! I've taken off many a penciled name or
price with one without any damage to the paper.
- Re-attach a loose page or plate as follows: Use acid-free adhesive and a thin, fine-point paint brush, as follows:
Pour a small amount onto a piece of paper. (It's the consistency of Elmer's glue.) Dip the brush into the glue and wipe
off any excess, then apply a thin amount to the area. Close the book and let dry over night. Be careful not to get
excess glue onto the pages. Clean your brush thoroughly when finished and store the glue with the original black cap on.
|
Jacket Protection!
|
Make sure that you buy archival-quality dust jacket covers made of mylar, a tough polyester
that doesn't stick to the jacket. See these sites for more information. NOTE: Although many
economical jacket covers are made of acid-free materials, avoid those which have the
company logo stamped onto it, and those with adhesive tabs. TRUE archival-quality covers
will not have logos or tabs. These features can eventually bleed through the paper onto the
jacket itself over time. (The amount of time depends on environmental conditions, age, quality
of the jacket, etc).
FYI, a typical Nancy Drew book would require an 9" x 19" jacket cover. |
|
