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I confess. I own a lot of books. Somewhere in the range of 700 of them. I’m pretty passionate about books, seforim,  and learning. You must be, too if you are here. You might be wondering how you can protect your many, many books so that they last and remain in good condition for a good long time. How can you “fix” books that are in bad shape? As a bookbinder, this is another passion of mine. Let me share my top tips on how to keep your books in great condition.

There are some easy ways to keep books to extend their life. Some ways are more invasive than others. 

Optimal Placement for Books to Safeguard Against Harmful Environmental Conditions

Before we choose the method of preservation, we need to see what shape the book is in and how rare the book is or important the book is to you.

If the book is rare or of a particular sentimental value then make sure the book is kept in the right place in your house. For example, UV rays from the sun will bleach any part of the book that comes in direct contact with the light. So don’t leave your books opposite big open windows that the curtains are usually put to the side to let the light in.

Contrary to what one might think, leaving books spine-out could harm them due to the fact that gravity may start to pull the book off the hinges of the cover. So perhaps important books should be left lying down and not upright.

For all books, humidity is their kryptonite. As such, books should be kept far away from moisture and condensation. One should try to keep books away from fridges, washers, and dryers.

Protective Covers for Preserving Books

So now that we know what not to do, what can we do to ensure our books have a long and healthy life of use. One way to protect our books is to cover them. For instance, a clear library quality acid free book cover protects against dust and debris. Doing this will enable us to display our libraries in the traditional way. 

Another protective cover that is less pretty is the book sleeve. The book sleeve is great for books that we use on the go. 

What Are the Best Shelving Solutions for Preserving Books?

When looking for the type of shelving to display our books, the type of wood that makes the shelves would help how the shelves are displayed. Some woods are better at capturing moisture than others. Ideally, you would have shelves professionally made by a carpenter/ woodworker. They would be able to advise you. 

Of course, this is expensive and not viable for most people. So what type of shelving should the average bibliophile get? 

I know this seems totally sellout-ish but Ikea has many great bookcases. The Billy bookcases are good – try to get double-thick shelves that will stand up to those hefty tomes like your Tur Shulchan Aruch set Chosson Shas. A regular shelf will bow under the weight of your books, and this will put undue pressure on their spines.

You might also use bookshelves with doors or glass fronts to protect the books from dust and debris.

Be Mindful of Pests 

Insects such as silverfish and bookworms can cause irreversible damage to books by feeding on paper fibers. Regularly inspect your books for signs of infestation and take necessary measures to prevent pests from accessing your collection.

Reinforcing Your Books’ Binding

The most drastic way of preserving our books would be the “yeshivish” binding. This binding is akin to traditional Japanese binding. More on book storage and some more invasive book preservation techniques in a later post.