here are some suggestions on how to store your rare books properly and how to prolong their life.
handle with care
all books should be handled and stored with care, to preserve their good condition or to prevent existing damage from getting worse. Remember that books printed from the mid-19th century onwards are generally printed on mechanically ground wood pulp paper, which is often high in acid content and can quickly discolor and crack if not kept in the right conditions.
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store your rare books
Large, heavy folio-sized books are best stored flat. other books on the shelves should be held upright at 90° to the shelf surface and supported on both sides by books or book supports of similar size to prevent covers from warping. do not pack the books too tightly or the covers will be damaged when you try to remove the books from the shelf.
Pulling a book by the top of the spine to remove it from the shelf will damage it, as will leaving it face down and open for a long time.
improve the environment
Two factors can improve the environmental conditions of your books:
- lighting
- temperature and humidity
lighting
Books should be stored away from direct sunlight, which can bleach the spine and paper and can cause an increase in the acid content of the paper.
temperature and humidity
The temperature and relative humidity in a room where books are kept are also very important. Following the basic steps below should help preserve your books.
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try to achieve a constant temperature and humidity within the book storage area and ensure regular air circulation; A cardboard box in the attic is often not the best place to store valuable books. if the room is too hot and dry, leather bindings can dry out and crack; therefore, books should be kept as far away as possible from heat sources such as radiators and fires. however, a low temperature by itself does not prevent mold growth. therefore, it is important to avoid storing books in humid conditions to prevent fungal spores (mold and mildew), which are always present in the atmosphere, from proliferating on your books.
Books should be kept away from sources of moisture and condensation and away from water pipes in case they burst or leak.
recommended limits
Whenever possible, try to keep the room temperature within the range of 16°C to 19°C (60-66°F); if you can measure relative humidity, it should be kept as constant as possible, within the range of 45% to 60%. If you are concerned enough about the conditions in which your books are stored, you can measure them by purchasing a portable electrical thermo-hygrometer, which can give you accurate digital readings of temperature and relative humidity; costs range from £20 to £80 for basic models. Alternatively, if you only want to measure humidity, you can purchase a humidity dial (hygrometer).
clean your books
Check and clean your books regularly, as dust can quickly accumulate on books. It’s very important to remember that if conditions are right, dust can be a food source for mold and mildew, leading to an infestation that can irreversibly weaken and stain books and paper.
to clean rare books:
- Remove the book from the shelf.
- Keep the book closed.
- Carefully brush the dust with a soft brush in an area away from the shelves. this prevents dust from settling on the books.
Books can also attract pests like mice and insects like silverfish and bookworms, which will leave telltale trails of droppings (larva droppings); this is usually found under the spines of books.
don’t repair the books yourself
If you buy or own a rare book that is already damaged and has ripped pages or covers, wormholes, a torn or loose binding, etc., it can be tempting to try repairing it yourself. think again! by attempting to do your own repair, you may cause further damage to the book and reduce its value.
Tapes, post-it notes, and common household adhesives should be avoided as a means of marking or repairing pages and bindings, as the adhesive will dry, discolor the paper, and leave a permanent residue on the book.
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If you have loose covers or boards in a binding, do not use rubber bands to hold the book together, as these will also dry out, become brittle and crack. To keep the book together, use cotton ribbon tied around the top and bottom of the book.
specialized advice for great britain and ireland
If you want to repair your rare book, it is worth contacting a specialist bookbinder and conservator who will use special archival materials to carry out the repairs. ‘binders’ in your local yellow pages is a good place to start. You can also use the conservatorship register as an online source to find a local conservator in the UK and Ireland, or you can call 020 7721 8246 for internships in England and Wales or 0131 668 8668 for internships in Scotland.
Bookbinders and conservators can also provide archival standard acid-free storage boxes for loose material.
tips from nls
at the national library of scotland, we can:
- provide initial conservation advice on how to deal with insect or mold infestation
- provide contact details for conservators and bookbinders
- advise on possible treatment methods
however, we cannot offer to perform conservation work for non-national library collections. see the preservation and conservation section for more information.
If you’re thinking of repairing books, it’s worth keeping in mind that professional preservation of books and paper goods can be an expensive and time-consuming process that can cost more than you paid for the book.
Whatever you decide, it’s better to leave the book alone in its damaged state rather than go through a shoddy and unfriendly repair.
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