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| Basic 'Care and Repair' than can be carried out by anyone |
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The following article contains some practical suggestions and advice on how to care for your books.
The books on your bookshelves should not be packed together too tightly and should never be pushed right to the back of the shelf. Always leave a gap at the back of books to allow air to circulate.
Florescent light will yellow books and direct sunlight will cause fading. Therefore consider the positioning of your shelves.
Books should be dusted regularly and checked for any deterioration. If simple household dust is left to accumulate for years it can actually stain and damage books.
The leather on books should occasionally be ‘fed’ to stop it drying out, this does not need doing very often however. If the leather is in fairly good condition it can be easily looked after with a products such as Backus Leather Dressing. This will clean and protect old leather but if the leather is powdery seek further advice.
To clean cloth covered books you can use a specially designed product such as Backus Bookcloth Cleaner .
There are a number of basic repairs that you can undertake; however, anything beyond the following should not be attempted without first discussing with a bookbinder/conservator. Never do anything irreversible and always use high quality acid-free materials. It’s always wise to practice on non-valuable books first.
It you have a tear in a page this can be simply mended. Using a transparent acid-free self-adhesive tape such as Filmoplast P, apply to tear and rub down with a bone folder. Products such as Sellotape should be avoided at all costs as the damage is normally irreversible.
A loose plate/page can be reattached with a small strip of a reversible conservation grade PVA such as PVA M218.
By following the simple tips in this article, you will preserve, and in some cases improve, the condition of your books for years to come.
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Bookbinding Equipment Supplies - Charnwood Books Online Shop
