How To Keep Your Books In Mint Condition
July 24, 2008
Passionate about books, then you should also be passionate about keeping these treasures of knowledge in mint condition. For all book lovers whose favourite hobby and pastime is reading books, the question is how to read their books, yet keep them looking as new as when they bought them. While, book reading is a passion for some, there are others who are simply avid collectors of these knowledge treasures, who do not read the books in their collection, only want to protect and care for them, so that they look untouched. Here are some tips that will keep your books in good condition.
Avoid Writing Or Underlining
Keep your books looking clean and fresh by refusing to write in the margins, underlining or highlighting words, phrases, and paragraphs. Instead, use a journal or notebook to take notes on pages / passages; or use pieces of paper or Post-It notes. If, you must write in your book, use a pencil rather than pen, so that you can erase the markings later.
Avoid Eating And Drinking When Reading
Food and liquids can damage your books, so the best practice is to avoid eating or drinking while reading. If, you can’t resist reading while eating you meal, ensure your hands are clean and dry you need to read while you eat, make sure that the hand that holds the book and turns the pages is clean and dry. Keep your books well away from the food and drink, check tables / other surfaces for moisture, crumbs that stain or for stickiness, before you put your book down.
Take Care While Handling Books
Always, handle books with tender loving care. Don’t fold down pages while reading, use a bookmark instead to mark your spot. Forget all about folding book covers back, take care not to break the binding; don’t place books face down, use a book or dust cover to keep your books in the best possible condition.
Shelve Books After Reading Them
After you have finished reading your books, place them back on the shelf when through reading them. However, take care to shelve them properly in an upright, vertical position. They should never be laid on their side or stacked one on top of the other. Leave enough head room or space above the book to avoid bumping the binding when shelving it. If, your book shelves are overflowing, store books in boxes in a vertical position.
Avoid Heat and Moisture
Ensure your bookshelves are in a dry place, out of direct light, and away from the heat. Books should never be shelved in moist places, such as, basements, bathrooms, or other damp areas that allow mould and mildew to grow on the books. As well, sunlight can damage book bindings and excessive heat tends to yellow and dry out books, making their pages crumble.
Bugs, Pets, and Other Critters Are To Be Avoided
Silverfish, bugs and mice can eat books; dogs can chew them, while cats may use book bindings to sharpen their claws. So keep your library door closed to prevent pets from getting at your books and avoid any food in the area which might attract bugs and rodents. Mice have been known to chew books and use the resultant product as nesting supplies.
Keep Out-of-Child Reach
While, it is important to encourage children to read, it is also as important to see you reading. However, children can contribute to the overall destruction of some of your most prized volumes, so depending on your children’s age; teach them to look after books. Don’t keep them out of your library, teach them to love books and handle them with care!
And if, you find it impossible to care for books but are an avid reader, why not indulge your passion by reading online books!
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