Protective Book Covers

[rune]

Does anyone use the plastic wallets, or plastic covering for protecting paperback books?

I've noticed my library use the plastic wallets to protect their books and it seems like a very good idea, looks nice too because they covers are clear

[Leto]

For my personnal use ? No. It remind me too much of school books.

[nixie]

I don't use them, but it would properly be a good idea to start.

[rune]

I'll have a search on the internet and see if I can find any companies that offer these wallets

[Foxbat]

I only have the one. It's for my copy of Poe's Tales of Mystery and Imagination. it's a copy that was printed in 1892 so I think it deserves a bit of special attention.

I would imagine most stationary outlets would supply these wallets.

[The Master™]

I am extremely careful with my books.. When I've read them, they look almost new... And I make sure that they aren't covered in liquid or solid matter to spoil them...

And that ain't easy with a toddler, but I'm coping!!!

[Jay]

Being a a collector makes care of e books of great import to me.

Although I haven't gone the route of protective covers yet, the bet way to care for books besides the common sesne thigns like don't eat, smoke, or drink around books without being careful. Also I never loan any of my books, I find other people are simply not careful. I would rather buy a friend of mien a book then let him borrow mine

Everytime I move I make sure I have a room for my books; I have found keepign the room clean, and making it a non-traffic room (no need to hang-out in there) is the best way to go.

Keep them in a cliamte controlled area and keep the temp stable around 60-65 degrees F. Do not expsoe them to light (whether natural or not) for extended periods of time. No Windows is a good diea. Humidity is an issue, your okay between 40-60% .

Some peopel ahve this habit of wanting to look at there collection, I generally don't touc ha book I don't plan on reading.

Add for the love of god, never lay your books open face down!

I have practiced these guidelines and have kept my collection pretty pristine through a few moves. I generally don't have any paperbacks unless a nvoel was first printed that way, I don't buy them otherwise.

[rune]

My books are in good condition, and I am careful with them. But I am a person that likes to look at them, it helps to remind me about the stories just by looking at the book cover

Also the wallets I've seen are quite good quality, and come in lots of different sizes for a neat fit. And despite being careful I have had books get worn looking if I've read it a few times.

I've found a site that sells the wallets for 40p each which I think is reasonable

[Tsujigiri]

What site Rune?

[rune]

Originally Posted by Tsujigiri

What site Rune?

I've sent the site address to you by PM

I was a bit cheeky and removed the wallet cover from my current library loan and tried it on a couple of my own books that were the same size. The wallet fit nice and gave my books a glossy look I'm definately feeling more convinced about this idea of mine

[Tsujigiri]

Thanks

[Stormflame]

HHmmm...these threads keep getting weirder and weirder, lol. Uhm, no I don't use the protective covers. I have several books from the 1800's. A few have the penmanship of people who had owned them and wrote things in them. Many of these scribblings are dated, like August 5, 1898. Cool, huh. I often set and wonder how and who these people were as I gander at their penmanship. They were people just like us, lost to time, and now, as if it were only a blink, I am looking at something they wrote when they were ontop of the world...

Anyway, no, covers remind me tooo much of school, as stated above by someone else. I like my books setting on the shelves nakes. It sets the mood in my living room, and also, poses questions from visitors....

[Princess Ivy]

there are definatly places out there that sell those covers. for myself, i'm very hard on my books. i love them to death. old favorites have to often be replaced because i take them with me wherever i go when i read. you'll catch me reading on busses, reading as i walk down the street, reading in the bath, in the local mikiey d's, all over.
but by the same token, i believe books are meant to be loved and enjoyed. i had an uncle who collected books, and i don't think he even read them. just put them on a shelf to say he had them. i get a lot of pleasure from these friends.
how do you treat yours?

[nixie]

I treat mine a lot like you, I carry books every where,I have recently had to replace Feist's Riftwar series as they were getting frayed round the edges.

[Leto]

For me it depends. Beautiful books (the one printed on very thin paper called Bible paper) are treated with lot of respect but read on a regular base. All the others favorite are read, repaired and re-read because I live with them, read them all the way, and some were passed along to me in that state (usually by my father or due to second hand buy). I like book which show they have been read (because of writing on the page, although I don't do that myself, of an old postcard or receipt used as a book mark or so on...)

For me, book are made to be read and should be passed along once you sure nobody around you will read them again. I must have a collection of roughly 2000 books currently, but there only 100 of them I'm sure to keep (because I want them to be part of my will) and 900 more that'll stay on my shelves as they have strong potential for a re-read. All the others will be resold or given to friends or even - for some paperbacks - intentionally lost in the subway (as originally I got them).