{"id":5473,"date":"2015-08-28T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2015-08-28T04:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/65.175.118.96\/?p=5473"},"modified":"2026-02-25T11:39:45","modified_gmt":"2026-02-25T16:39:45","slug":"preserving-old-books-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.archivalmethods.com\/preserving-old-books-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Archivally Preserving Old Books"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This blog post was update on August 27, 2025<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Books can be damaged by several factors including moisture, heat, sunlight, insects, and general mishandling. Here are some guidelines for preserving your valued books.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Book Storage Kits come with two polyethylene bags<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Handle with Care<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As noted by the<\/span> Library of Congress<\/a>, proper handling is one of the keys to preserving old books. If the book is on a shelf, pull the book out from its middle instead of reaching for the top of the book’s spine, which in the case of older books is often fragile. Before you handle books, make sure your hands are clean and dry.<\/span><\/span> While you’re looking through an old book, make sure you don’t have food or beverages around.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you open an older book, don’t let it sit flat. Instead, use items such as other books or clean\/dry rolled-up hand towels to prop the sides of the book so that the spine and pages aren’t over-stressed and possibly cracked or damaged. Our Rare Book Box with Cradle<\/a> is an archival storage box with a built in cradle for viewing or display.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Two clean towels can be used to support fragile book spines if you don’t have a book cradle.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

If you’re going to take notes, follow the universal rule of every librarian and archivist: use a pencil. No pens should be anywhere near your rare old books. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to save a page, do not fold the corners of pages and do not use a bookmark made out of acidic materials (regular notebook paper, index cards, Post-It Notes, etc.), as these can cause the ink and paper to deteriorate over time. We recommend Archival Bookmarks<\/a> which we offer in two thicknesses. If you want to write a note on this acid-free bookmark please do so in pencil, as the oils and solvents in pen inks might stain or transfer to the pages.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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If you want to mark a page use an archival bookmark!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Books are often repositories for miscellaneous items such as newspaper clippings, photographs, bookmarks, ticket stubs, pressed flowers or leaves, etc… Remove foreign objects or encase them. Remove any paperclips or rubber bands. If you want to keep something with the book separate it out and put it in an archival sleeve<\/a> and store it with the book but not inside of it. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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An excellent example of the damaging effects of newsprint on other papers.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

If your books are damaged, consider using<\/span> filmoplast tapes<\/a> to re-hinge a book or to mend torn pages. If your book is old, rare, or sentimentally or monetarily valuable, however, you might wish to contact a professional book restorer or conservationist<\/a>. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consider the Conditions<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Various elements can damage a book. Store your books in a place with lower humidity fluctuations and a relatively normal temperature range \u2013 no attics or basements! When it comes to preserving old books, it’s important that you try and maintain these conditions at all times. Books can also be affected if the environment changes seasonally. If you have an in-home library, keep the temperature below 72 degrees Fahrenheit. The air should also have a relative humidity level of between 30 and 50 percent. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your home is prone to excess humidity, consider getting a dehumidifier that will remove the extra moisture. You may also want to keep your important or valuable books in a closet or darkened unused room as light\u2014especially direct sunlight from a window\u2014can cause ink to fade and leather or fabric bindings to age more quickly.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

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Our Book Box Kits are a great place to start when considering archival storage boxes.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Avoiding storing books in basements, which are vulnerable to floods (naturally occurring or via leaky water heaters), or attics (with their potentially leaky roofs). Basements and attics also typically experience extreme heat and humidity fluctuations. Insects and other pests are more likely to be in these out of the way places, too. And they can also damage your books and other collections.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, consider placing your important or rare books in a dark, cool closet. Regardless of where you store them, be sure to dust regularly to prevent mold spores from building up and eventually growing on the books’ pages. If the books are placed on a shelf (always out of direct sunlight!), try to keep books with others of the same size. That way the pressure is equalized and a smaller book won’t “indent” on a larger book next to it. You should also make sure your books are stored upright, not slanted or on top of one another. Use heavy bookends to help keep them in place. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We have several sizes and colors of our Rare Book Box which has a collapsible cradle inside to support the spine during viewing.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

You can also protect your books by placing them in archival metal edge boxes<\/a> or<\/span> a rare book box with cradle<\/a>, which are acid-free, lignin-free, and buffered. This will prevent light and other damaging elements from coming into contact with your books. If your book or album has a leather or vellum cover (ie: animal-based) it should not be stored in direct contact with the buffered material inside your box. Use a<\/span> polyethylene bag<\/a> (unsealed so the books can “breathe”) or Unbuffered Tissue<\/a> or Archival Thin Paper – Unbuffered<\/a> as a barrier. A buffered box is preferred because of its acid-scavenging properties. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Contact Us<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you have questions about the archival storage and presentation materials that are right for you, please contact us<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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