How do you keep paperback books in good condition?

Question

I have a large collection of paperback books because I am too poor to afford hardbacks. I have found that simply reading them oftentimes causes their edges to become crinkled or dulled or bent. I have tried using a book cover but it too bent the pages. Carrying them around in a backpack wreaks havoc on them as well. How do I keep them safe?

Hmm... I never dog-ear or fold them funny. It's just general finger-nail knicks and page turning that does it.

Answer 1

Your best bet will be to store them somewhere that's air-conditioned, dry, and store them stacked so the books are lying flat on their backs instead of vertically like you would normally do on a bookshelf. When you're reading them, always use a flat bookmark instead of folding pages, placing the open book face-down, or using a non-flat object to hold your place (I've even heard of librarians who found a book returned where the person had used a piece of pecan pie as a bookmark!).

The paper used in most paperbacks isn't treated the same way the paper in hardcovers is, so they're going to get brittle and yellowed over time, but if you keep them dry and don't stress the paper, yours will last a lot longer than most.

Answer 2

Cover them in clear contact paper--fold it around the edges like a dust cover would do. That will help. The only other alternative is to make a little slip-box that you can slip the book into before dumping it in you backpack.

Answer 3

I don't think there's much else you can do. Don't place them flat out and cover up / \

Don't fold down the edge of a page to bookmark it.

That's all I can think of.

Think of it this way though. If they do get a little battered. It shows you actually read them and appreciate them.

Answer 4

I use self-adhesive transparent foil, if necessary I glue cardboard on the insides of the cover and/or use multiple foil layers.
You can make your own harcover by 'disemboweling' unloved hardcovers and glue your paperback into it, there's the 'I can't see the book's title'-problem, though. Writing the title on the back of the book does not look that nice.

Answer 5

Don't read them and keep them in a hermetically sealed room away from light, dust heat and humidity.

The paper in softcover books is so horrid and cheap these days that there is no way to keep them looking good.

Go to the library and read their copy. Besides, have you seen the prices of softcover books these days....

Answer 6

I cover the edges of front and back pages with colorful carton and then use a simple cover. It helps. For my books.

Answer 7

Using bookmarks instead of dogearing the books helps. I keep mine on a bookshelf instead of just tossing them around all over the place. It doesn't keep them in perfect shape but they are in pretty good shape that way.

Answer 8

Keep them out of the sun! I keep my book cases, away from the bed room windows.

Answer 9

get some 3m scotch book tape #845 and use it on the covers.

Answer 10

Don't lend it out.