Are you a rare books collector? Then you must be having a good collection of rare books at your home. It is important to take good care of all these rare books. Otherwise, you will come across situations that are filled with disappointment. Keep on reading and you’ll learn how to take good care of the rare books that you have. On the other hand, information we share will help you to make the right choice while you try to protect the rare books you have under the collection as well. 

Why should you take care of the rare books?

You have spent a considerable amount of money to purchase rare books for your collection. Hence, you can’t simply allow the investment to go down on the drain. That’s why you will need to take good care of the books. The value of rare books is appreciating with time. If you can take care of the books, you will even be able to sell them in the future at a higher price. Hence, you must take all possible steps to take good care of the rare books that are available in your house.

Tips to maintain the condition of rare books in your house

Here are some of the tips that you can follow to maintain the condition of rare books in your house. Always adhere to these tips and you will be able to end up with securing the best returns at the end of the day.

Select the right environment 

The environment you use to keep the rare books will contribute a lot towards their durability. Hence, you should pick the perfect environment for storing all the rare books at all times. Then you will be able to deliver the best level of care and protection for the rare books that you have under your collection as well.

The environment you select to keep rare books should be something where they don’t receive direct sunlight. Moreover, the environment should be free from moisture as well. It is better if you can maintain a stable temperature for keeping books in their perfect condition. For example, you should maintain a temperature between 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. 

There should be a proper flow of air to the environment that you are using to store the rare books as well. Then you will be able to refrain from the growth of mold. Moreover, you should focus on the humidity levels. The ideal humidity level for keeping rare books is between 45% to 55%. Then you can make sure that the rare books don’t try too much as well. 

Make sure that you walk around your home and pick the best location out of them for storing all the rare books that you have. For example, keeping the rare books in your attic is not something recommended, and you should refrain from doing that mistake.

Be mindful about spacing 

While you set up the rare books collection, you should make sure that you never overcrowd them. When the books are crammed together in the bookshelf, they will rub against each other as you take them out. This can create a damaging effect on the book. For example, it can create considerable damages for the cover. On the other hand, it can also create cracks on the spine of the book as well. 

You should use bookends, which can help you to keep all the books in their vertical position at all times. While keeping this in mind, you should purchase an appropriate bookshelf. You will then be able to store all the books in their upright position and deliver improved flow of air to ensure their protection.

Shelving 

Shelving is another important thing you should consider as you store the old and rare books that you have. It is better to go ahead with baked enamel shelves or glass shelves instead of wooden shelves. You might have to spend more money on it. However, it can deliver better returns to you at the end of the day.

Wood shelving that is not properly sealed can transfer lots of damaging acids into bindings and paper of the old books. This can eventually damage the books. Therefore, you should buy the right type of shelving for all the rare books that you have in the collection.

Store tall books flat 

If there are tall books in your rare book collection, you should store them flat. In fact, you should do this for all the books that are 18” or high. Find a stable surface and keep them flat, so that you will be able to protect them. This process will help you to keep the pages of the book away from warping. In case if you are sacking large books on top of another, you will need to refrain from getting tall piles. You should be careful while you remove the books as well. For example, you must remove the books at the top before you remove the books that are located underneath.

Focus on light as well

Light is one of the most overlooked factors when preserving old and rare books. In here, light refers to ultraviolet lights. It can create a damaging effect on the books. You will need to keep all the printed materials in your rare books in vibrant condition. Hence, you should reduce the exposure of lights as much as possible. You will be able to do this by placing ultraviolet filters on the fluorescent fixtures and windows. 

Final words

Now you are aware of how to take good care of rare books. Keep these facts in mind and preserve the condition of all the rare books that you have in your collection. This will help you to protect your investment and get the most out of your investment.