Tara Moore/Getty Images
READ MORE ABOUT:
I own hundreds of books, quite possibly thousands. I've never counted. Most of my books I pick up used from thrift stores and my favorite second-hand shops. The collection has grown out of hand. I have two large crates full of books stored at my mother's house. Piles of books in closets, stacks near the bedside.
One of the things I've learned tending for this many books is how to take care of them, especially since I get most of them used. I try to take good care of them. I want to be able to read them to my kids. My kids, non-existent and unaffordable as they are right now, should grow up in a house surrounded by books. My goal is to have my own home library one day. I'd also like a big plush chair, one of those velvet robes and a pipe with bubbles in it.
Here are some book maintenance tips:
- Never squash your books to fit more on a shelf. It's all well and good that you want to save space, but you're saving that space by reducing the life of your book.
- Don't pull books of a shelf by their binding. This is horrible for the book. You'll end up pulling the binding away from the book.
- Don't write in books. Personally, I love buying a used book and finding it all marked up. It's like another level to the story. What did the previous reader find interesting in this book? Most markings, however, end less than 100 pages in. Other people dislike this, and I don't blame them.
- When transporting books, always stack them heaviest to lightest and by size. Never force or bend books to make them fit.
- Keep books out of direct sunlight and away from heaters and vents.
- Keep them dry. That musty smell is mildew. That's bad for indoor air quality.
- Don't dog ear the corners to mark the page. I do this one. I can't help it. So convenient. New Year's resolution, I promise.
More on Books:
How to Go Green: Books (for Authors)
How to Buy Used Books
5 Reuses for: Books
-
- {}
