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Storing Books
If books are known to feed the human intellect and quest for knowledge, they also feed the appetite of several types of worms and insects, which completely ignore the intellectual component of what they are gorging on and go for the sheer taste. Packing and storing books belong to the segment of good housekeeping and all types of damages which occur when books are in storage are largely preventable with a bit of care and caution. There are several preventive steps which can be taken which will keep books safe during storage. The first amongst all is the packing for storage. Books must be dry and clean before you even think of packing them. If you find that there is a moist and musty smell, put them out in the sun or let them dry in an airy and well ventilated room. This is the beginning of mold attack and can seriously damage books. Mold spores are also considered to be a health hazard. Dust and dirt should be brushed off too.
As mentioned earlier, insects are books’ worst enemy. Many times you will find eggs of insects which look like small poppy seeds hidden in between pages. All such black spots must be brushed away, before you store books. If your books are leather bound, make sure that they are not stacked side by side as they tend to stick to each other if the storage space is moist and has enough moisture level in the air. 100% rag paper is a good packing material for such books. The boxes which you use for storing books must be clean and hard and should close properly. It is safer to use fresh card board cartons and not boxes where food had been packed earlier as the long lasting odor of food attracts insects. Books are best stored either standing upright or placed flat. Never store books while they are resting on the spine or the side opposite to it (called fore-edges) as it damages the binding. When stacking books which are placed flat and on top of each other arrange them with spines and fore-edges alternatively. For obvious reasons, place heavier books at the bottom. It is advisable not to over stack books in one single carton. You must keep some space for air circulation. All cartons must be closed before storing them.
The most import point to remember while storing books is that the environment must be climate controlled and free from moisture. Moisture is the biggest enemy for book storage as it encourages mold spores to germinate and insect eggs to hatch. Boxes containing books must never be store directly on the floor. Use palettes or raised platforms for stacking the boxes. The raised platform is necessary as prevention from flooding too. Stacking them on platforms also allows proper air circulation. The book storage facility must promise not only climate monitoring but also regular pest control programs. Storing of books must also never be done against the exterior walls as moisture can be easily absorbed from external environment. The reason why attics, garages and basements are not suitable for book
storage is because these places are not free from extreme temperatures and books suffer heavy damage if stored in such places.
Using insecticides and moth balls are not recommended since its typical odor is not only damaging to human health but can damage books as well. A clean and dry storage environment with ample fresh air circulation is what is needed for book storage.
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