Care
- Books should be handled only with clean hands, and the area that a book rests on should be clean
- Books should not come in contact with food or drinks
- Books should be removed from a shelf by gripping both sides of the spine at the middle of the book (do not pull from the top of the spine)
- Do not force a book to lie open at 180 degrees
- Do not use paper clips or inserts in books; do not fold pages as bookmarks
- Do not use rubber bands, leather conditioners, self-adhesive tape, or glue on books
- Consider the use of cradles for fragile books, especially for titles that do not open easily. The cradles support the sides of the books and soft, flexible weights can be used to hold the book open. This prevents creasing or breaking the paper at the point of flexing.
Storage
- Books should be stored in cool (room temperature or below), relatively dry (about 35% relative humidity), clean, and stable environments
- Keep exposure to light at a minimum; never expose a book to direct light
- Books and shelves should be dusted regularly
- Books should be shelved with other books of a similar size
- Books should be shelved upright and straight or flat down