Safe storage is a topic of great concern among book collectors, whether that be simply keeping old favorites in good condition or taking special care to ensure the continued value of rare and valuable books. In today’s blog we will be providing a useful guide on how to best store your rare or valuable books and ensure that they maintain their condition over long periods of time.
Store in a Cool, Dry Place
The ideal environment for storing books is one that is cool and dry, with consistent temperature maintained to prevent damage from temperature fluctuations. These fluctuations can cause the various parts of the book to expand and contract causing possible damage to the spine and pages. Books should also be stored away from direct sunlight as it can bleach covers and increase the acid content of the paper.
Maintain Airflow
It is important to allow books to breathe, providing some space between them and allowing adequate airflow. This prevents the books from becoming musty and helps maintain optimal storage conditions.
Choose the right protective materials
If you are planning on wrapping your books or using other protective coverings, be sure to use acid free materials or soft fabric wrappings as these will help your books keep well over time. Paper Materials like newspapers or old magazines carry the risk of ink transfer which can damage the books so they should be avoided for long term storage.
Use pest prevention methods
It is important to take measures to prevent pests if you want to keep your books in ideal condition. You can do this by placing mothballs or cedar blocks in your book storage space.
Check on your books
Regularly inspect, rotate and reorganize your stored books, this will help prevent uneven wear and tear on the books and allow you to correct any storage issues before they become major problems.
Store Books Vertically
Store your books vertically with the paper edges facing downwards. This allows the books to support each other and maintain their shape. You should also be sure to store books of similar size together so the covers don’t warp. The only exception to this are large and heavy folio-style books, these should be stored flat and separate from your other books.
We hope we have been able to demonstrate to you the ways in which you can store rare and valuable books and keep them in excellent condition.
Yaletown Mini Storage offers brightly lit, clean, affordable storage units in downtown Vancouver. Most units have 8-foot ceilings, and there are no access fees or limitations.
If you have any questions about this article or our downtown Vancouver storage units, contact us at (604) 603-5885.
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