People all over the world love books. While people have a lot of options when it comes to reading books, the most popular method is the old fashioned way. At least 67% of people in the United States admit to having read one print book during the last 12 months. If you have a collection of books at home or even a full library, you may be looking for ways to keep your books in good condition. From having good book spine repair tape on hand to taking care when handling your books, there are things you can do to extend the lifespan of your books.
- Do not use bulky or large bookmarks. While using bookmarks is better for your books than folding back the pages, when they are too large and bulky they can damage the glue in the book’s spine to damage the binding. Using smaller and thinner bookmarks will reduce the chance of ripping pages while you are reading the book. One good option is to use a ribbon or thread to keep your place in a book.
- Be careful when handling a book to not damage the spine. Books, hardback and paperbacks, are bound with stitching, glue or with both, It is possible to repair books by using book spine repair tape or one of the book repair tapes but you can also prevent this damage by taking care to not put too much stress on the binding as you read the book. You do that by not opening the book too wide. This means the first time you open a new hardcover, you should be careful. They usually have stiffer spines which can be easily torn the first time they are opened.
- Be careful as you turn the pages of the book. As a book ages, the pages can deteriorate and become more brittle and fragile. After a decent amount of time, they can be broken easily just by turning them. If you are reading an older book, care needs to be taken to turn the pages without tearing them, wrinkling them, or ripping them.
- If you have fragile or rare books, you need to pay them special care. If you have books like these that you still want to read, you may want to invest in copies that are just for reading. You can also seek out the help of an expert in keeping these special books in good condition. They can provide you with tips to keep the books in good shape but also offer help if your books are damaged. They may also be able to give you suggestions for good book spine repair tape or other supplies to repair special books.
- Make sure you always keep your books upright when on the shelves of your bookcases. You should make sure the books sit comfortably on the shelves with some space between them. It is never a good idea to stuff too many into a shelf. Packing them in too tightly can lead to structural damage, warping, and cracking. It is also better to keep them next to books that are around the same height to keep the spine from experiencing stress. Always grab the book you want from the middle to keep its spine in good shape.
- Never store books in direct sunlight. They also prefer to be in a cool spot. The best thing for them is to keep them in a space that is climate controlled and dry. The main things that can hurt your books are humidity, heat, and sunlight. These can all do a lot of damage to books. Humidity can lead to mold and mildew growth in your books, which will destroy them. If you are in an area with a lot of moisture in the air, you may want to invest in a good dehumidifier.
Many people, around the globe find curling up with a good print book to be very relaxing. Sleep experts recommend not reading a screen at night but say reading a print book or magazine can help a person fall asleep. From getting a good book spine repair tape to treating them properly, you can keep your books longer.
