How should one store a rare book? or any book?

Question

Is it a good or bad idea to keep it permanently in bubble wrap?
should it be stood up, or laid on it's back?
any advise would be very much appreciated
thanks in advance

Answer 1

Take it from someone who had the chance to visit the Library of the University of Virginia and received the most amazing tour and information on how to preserve rare books and documents. Do NOT keep your books in bubble wraps! Do NOT touch your rare books with unprotected hands, use a new plastic glove (a dime a dozen at the supermarket), skin carries bacteria and acids, longterm effect: paper rots, dissolves. Do not break the spine of your books, no matter whether old or new. Store books upright if they have a sturdy binding. Store books containing loose leaves flat, do not stack fragile books. Keep room temperature constant and cool. Air-conditioning would be the best! Do not expose to a constant lightsource - try and keep all books in closed cabinets, open bookshelves are not conducive to a long lifetime of rare books! All paper will eventually yellow in light, some even without light, it will eventually become brittle. Restore binding of rare books if necessary, another couple of years might make the difference to the aspired result of a restauration. Do NOT save money in restoring rare books - check on method before you hand over your treasure for restauration. NEVER allow a book or individual pages to be sealed in, plastic material yellow, does not age well and becomes brittle while being married to the paper, which decomposes together with the supposedly protective material. Take pictures of your rare book/s and store securely for insurance reasons. Hope this helps - greetings from a book lover in France owning French-English-Latin dictionaries from 1500!
Laura

Answer 2

I went to a course by an antiquarian book dealer many years ago and he recommended a thick layer of dust.
He gave us some hilarious examples of things he had found used as bookmarks including one of the old very large £5 notes and a kipper.

Answer 3

I keep all of my books in their covers on a book shelf, maybe wrapped in brown paper or tissue paper before putting it in bubble wrap would be best.

Answer 4

In a temperature controlled room.