Got books? Maybe you’re a collector, maybe you’re a librarian, but no matter how or why you acquire books, you should know there’s a right way, and a wrong way, to shelve and handle them to keep them in perfect reading condition.
The Library of Congress offers these recommendations:
- Clean hands, always!
- Keep books upright, or lying flat; leaning them to one side will eventually break the spine.
- Remove books from a shelf by gripping the spine on both sides, at the middle of the book; over time, pulling at the top of the spine damages the binding.
- Keep books away from direct sunlight, heating/cooling vents, and high humidity; don’t forget to dust them, too.
- Shelve books of similar size together; the covers of neighboring books will help support each other.
The LOC has additional advice on restoration and preservation on its website: http://www.loc.gov/preservation/care/index.html Your storage professionals here at National Office Systems can also provide proper shelving and storage information.
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