Antiquarian books, rare books and archival books need more care and corect handeling than ever before. As more and more people turn to the internet for information, more and more books are going to be left on the shelf and not treated with the respect and care they deserve.
Antiquarian books and archival material should be carried with clean hands and lifted, not slid along dusty and gritty surfaces. Rare books should always be displayed on clean surfaces.
They should not be;
- piled haphazardly and are conveyed preferably on a trolley
- stacked on the floor; they should not be packed tightly on shelves
- Exposed to light for long periods as this can cause the most damage.
Ultra-violet rays of the sun, fluorescent lighting and the resulting chemical action weaken and degrade material .
Also, old books should never be placed to lean at an angle as the weight on one board strains the sewing and hinge and causes the board to separate from the book. Books are stood upright with both boards resting on the shelf supported on either side by other volumes or felt-covered blocks.
A book is removed from the shelf by pressing back the volumes on either side until the centre of the spine can be gripped and the books withdrawn. Hooking a finger in the head cap, in order to pull the book from the shelf, will inevitable tear it.”
Most importantly no food or drink must be placed near any archive items or consumed near them. When handled hands must be clean and dry. If you are really concerned about any items you can wear latex gloves when handling them.
I hope this has given you an idea of some of the ways you can protect your valuable rare book collections. Old books our are history and need to be protected and cared for to share with future generations.