If you’re like us and love to read, chances are you are constantly running out of storage space for your precious books. While they are all priceless possessions, old and rare books require a lot more care. So here's a few useful tips from our personal experience on how to take care of these books!
The sun is not your friend: While Bram Stoker's "Dracula" may not be part of your collection, it's best to store your old books away from direct sunlight anyway. Any kind of harsh lighting, including the UV rays of the sun can cause the pages of your books to fade. The best place to store your books is in a darker environment with shelves not exposed to any kind of harsh lighting.
Manage your shelf life: The best environment for your books is someplace with little light, lower humidity, and an even temperature. Extreme temperatures or humidity can cause a number of problems including mildew, molding or brittle pages. The bookshelves also really matter, and we suggest going for rust free metal shelves. If wooden shelves are your go-to, make sure they have been sealed chemically.
Keep them clean: Dust is the big bad villain in this story, and keeping your old books dust free is necessary. Dust collecting on the book covers can end up creating mildew and stains that you can never get rid of. Bookworms are a reality, as are nasty little bugs that would thrive in dust, so make sure you do some light dusting of your books regularly. Don't forget to be gentle with your books while cleaning, and never use any chemical cleaners.
4. Line up your books: A crucial part of caring for old books is storing them properly within your shelf. The way to go is to keep them upright, with enough breathing
space in between to make sure that they don't have friction of any sort. It's also best to shelf books of similar size, and tall books should be stored flat. Remember the rule of three, no more than three books stacked together.
All the good storage in the world won't help much unless you remember to treat your old books with kindness. Here's some tips to keep in mind, especially if you use/read your vintage books on a regular basis:
Nobody likes stains or prints on their books, especially for your vintage collection. Grimy or wet hands are a strict no-no when it comes to handling your books.
While it may be difficult the first few times, make it a habit to not pull out your old books from the shelves from the top of the spine because it can cause some real wear and tear.
Old books often have weak or damaged spines, so opening them flat open is not a great idea. Never leave them lying face down since you'll end up with some real damage to your vintage books.
A lot of us love to annotate our books using sticky notes or clips, but old books are a whole other ball game. It's not a good idea to use sticky notes on vintage books as the adhesive could cause damage.
If your old books have any kind of damage, especially to the cover or spine, never try to fix it yourself using adhesive tape or glue. There are special materials that aren't acidic or damaging to vintage books which are the best tools to repair them.
Lastly, the most important part of handling and caring for your vintage books is loving them and treating them carefully. Old books are an incredible treasure to possess and we hope these tips help you find and care for these incredible gems!