Book Preservation: Tips to Care for your Home Library

Post by Collections Intern Melissa Caples.

– Keep things cool. Books are most comfortable at temperatures close to 65 degrees.

– Turn out the lights. Direct light, particularly sunlight, can cause books to discolor and become brittle.

– Give them breathing room. Squeezing books tightly onto a shelf can cause wear and tear on the covers.

– Handle with care. Remove a book by gripping the center on either side of the spine. Tipping a book off the shelf by pulling from the top of the headband can damage the spine.

– Size things up. Arrange books on a shelf according to size so they can support each other. Lay large volumes flat to avoid stress on the spine.

– Tape is not your friend. Tape causes additional problems that are difficult to reverse. Consider acid free storage containers or consult a conservator.

For more information: https://www.nps.gov/museum/publications/conserveogram/19-02.pdf