MPH

The Elements

• Keep books out of direct sunlight. Sunlight will cause the colors of the book’s dust jacket to fade.
• Keep your books dry. Humidity and dampness produce mold, which is a book problem that pretty much can’t be cured. Exposure to water will also ripple pages and deform the book.
• Extreme temperatures at either end aren’t good, but heat is worse, especially in a humid climate.

Creatures

• Keep bugs away from your books. Some bugs like to eat them; others will leave their marks.
• Keep cats away from your books. Cats also have a habit of leaving their mark on books. It’s hard to get rid of this damage. (You may be able to deodorize cat-or tobacco-befouled books by putting them in an airtight container with an air freshener for a day or two; of course, they may then smell like apple cinnamon.)
• Keep kids and other free spirits away from your books. Books should be handled carefully, with clean hands.

Storage

• Ideally, your books will be stored upright on your shelves. You want to be able to see them, maybe even read them occasionally.
• Don’t lay other books on top of them.
• If you have to store your books in a garage or attic, be aware of heat. Store them in airtight, acid-free containers.

Protection

• Read your books with clean hands, preferably not while you’re eating spaghetti or chocolate ice cream.
• Use bookmarks. Don’t fold the pages down; don’t leave the book open and upside-down; don’t mark your place with your sunglasses.
• Don’t write your name (or anything else) in your books. If you have to use bookplates, use nice, custom-made ones.
• Put your dust jackets in protective dust jacket covers. Dust jackets protect and improve the look (and value) of books.
• Use a feather duster to occasionally get the dust off of your books.
• If you loan your books, loan them to people who care about books as much as you do.