Book Protection

[adam]

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The bottom line is: I like my books but I love my cats. Plus, if they can get to them, it is really my fault anyway.

That's pretty much where I'm at (though at the moment its just a singular cat), hence why I keep my 'valuable'(either monetarily or sentimentally) books on a shelf behind glass so they don't accidentally get abused. Of course, my cat wouldn't think of destroying anything except the chair in the living room, but I'm not taking my chances. Going much further than that just seems like overkill (until I get myself a silver scarab SOADD, that is).

Not that I smoke around my books anymore, but I wonder what other types of (non-tobacco) smoke do to books?

	SOADD Songs of a Dead Dreamer   Songs of a Dead Dreamer was the first book published featuring a collection stories by Thomas Ligotti. Original Printing Revised Printing

[Dr. Zirk]

I've been told by a fairly serious book collector to never use tape when securing a polyester book cover (such as the ones Brodart sells to libraries) over a book jacket. I was told to use Elmer's glue instead. Obviously the idea is to use the glue on the polyester cover only, and not on the book jacket itself.

Does anyone know of a reason to not use Elmer's glue? It's gotta pretty benign stuff if they let the kindergartners eat it, but if anyone has a contrary opinion I'd love to hear it...

[Dr Thoss]

I want to thank everyone for their replies to my original post.

I have copies of limited editions of most of Ligotti's published works. I think only three cost more than $100. I just purchased a copy of the Silver Scarab Dead Dreamer, and that is definitely going into a plastic bag.

I got hooked on collecting Ligotti's works, I guess. Even though I keep all of them in protective covers (even the ####tier Carroll & Graff mass publication copies), I still take them out to read. They ARE meant to be read--over and over and over again. I'm just careful with the more expensive ones.

Recently I saw a copy of the red leather edition of Agonizing Resurrection for sale through the Abebooks site--for $2,500! Given that there are only 10 in existence, I almost bought the damned thing. An "investment" indeed! I came to my senses, however.

[G. S. Carnivals]

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Not that I smoke around my books anymore, but I wonder what other types of (non-tobacco) smoke do to books?

Good question. Many of my older books actually boast a THC/nicotine/tar forcefield. To this day, I'm forced to share the Oreos and M & Ms....

[Dr. Bantham]

I am a bit apprehensive of standing before my peers and admitting to my indulgence in obsessive collecting and the perverse ritual of coveting that follows. I have been contemplating an essay as such, at least as it relates to collecting Ligotti.

First of all, I should address the maiden post in this thread. My book collection is not nearly as vast as I would have it, though there are notable rarities in the mix. When I accept an obsession as my own, I succumb to it wholly. Though I search out various authors over time, I have two specific book related collections that are exceptions to all boundaries of logic. Firstly, I have nearly every English offering ever published for the Call of Cthulhu RPG, with the exception of a handful of rare tomes that evaded my grasp over these past two decades plus. It would amaze you as to the depth of this collection alone. It nearly branched out into foreign texts at one point, though I somehow managed a sanity throw and withdrew from these variants. I have hundreds of books dedicated to a game which I never play for the most part, save the drunken reveries that ensue when a certain friend darkens my doorway.

The second, and most expensive collection is what I refer to as the TLO Archives. I became addicted to collecting Ligotti when I bought a trade paperback edition of TAROVFAOGT from Mark Zeising for $10. I was floored when I slit the shrink and found his signature therein. I was elated and yet disappointed since my sessions were going so well at the time. In the years past, I have managed to collect nearly every imaginable variant, including private press offerings from GRIMOIRE on. I have every binding variant of TAROVFAOGT, including black and red leather editions. I have one of six (mine being Tom's original) maroon presentation copies of MWINYD. You get the picture. Yes, I have read my books, but my obsession is such a nature that I acquire reading copies when necessary so that the collector copies are not tainted. Yes, I am sick. I would launch into my hopeless defense at this point, but I suppose I should save it for the essay.

What do I do? I initially resorted to PVC bags, though I learned at some point that these apparently produce off gasses which can allegedly deteriorate the contents over time. I have also met die hard collectors that use nothing more than this and attest that they just replace the bags every ten years or so and perceive no noticeable degradation. Being the ever vigilant paranoid, I converted to mylar for my rarer pieces. Mylar is the cadillac of book condoms. It can be purchased in a myriad of sizes and thicknesses. The best source for these is Bill Cole Enterprises. Bill also has acid free cards, boxes and much more.

If the book is rare enough, I go further to ensure that it is not exposed to sunlight. Most of my prize possessions are nowhere in sight. This is equally justifiable since we have two indoor dogs, three indoor cats and a two year old debutante that thrive among us. I hope to upgrade my library at some point by coating the windows with a UV barrier film, integrating a de-humidifier and acquiring a couple of finely crafted barrister bookcases to keep them all behind glass and in style. Unfortunately, I would have to sell of a portion of my collection to afford such extravagances at this point.

I wholly empathize with the comic collector that never reads the comic. For me, it is not an investment, though the expenditure can certainly be justified when you rationalize that it can be liquidated for no loss or even consequential gains. For me, I have isolated perfection and stand guard as protector. It is invigorating for me to don white gloves and hoist a sacred tome at obscene angles to the bright white lights, knowing the pleasure is all mine. Since I have reading copies of most stories, it is not wholly vulgar, I should hope. Remember to be kind, as it is a sickness that I endure as much as I profess to indulge as such.

I should work on that relevant essay post-haste, lest I should be cast beneath the dark shadows of reason and shame.

Look a diversionary WEB SITE!

	TLO THOMAS LIGOTTI ONLINE

	TAROVFAOGT The Agonizing Resurrection of Victor Frankenstein and Other Gothic Tales

	MWINYD My Work Is Not Yet Done

[waffles]

I keep all of my (well-read, thumbed ... usw) TL books in a cardboard box on a bookshelf. I'm not interested in keeping the books in mint condition (to late for that), but should I ever need to flee my apartment then I will be able to grav the box and run.

Cheers!

[The New Nonsense]

I own an art gallery/custom framing business, therefore I've studies archival techniques for taking care of printed material and the preservation of memorabilia. I also have a large collection of rare books. I figured I'd share some preservation techniques since Ligotti's works are becoming extremely expensive in the collectors market (more so recently, for whatever reason) so that TLO members can take care of their investments.

A few tips:

#1 Glues and Tape: Never do anything to a book that cannot be reversed. This includes using tape and glue as most of them will leave permanent marks over time or run the risk of tearing the paper. Any restorative work should be done by a trained professional. High quality jacket covers do not require glue or tape. See #2. NEVER attach adhesive or paste-in book plates, like the "ex libris" stickers.

#2 Dust jackets: Most of Ligotti's books have dust jackets. These should be protected by acid-free jacket covers. I'd recommend Brodart Just-a-fold III archival covers made of chemically inert polyester. They have an additional barrier of acid-free paper between the jacket and cover. For further protection one can purchase archival padded book boxes (though it's not a great way to display them aesthetically). Note: books like Nightmare Factory (printed on cheap pulp paper) are a lost cause. Enjoy them while you can. It's possible to treat it with a de-acidification spray, but it would be a lot of trouble. Books like this will slowly digest themselves over time due to the high acidity of the paper.

#3 Light and fading: Light will fade the book and prematurely age the edge of the pages. Sunlight is the worst, but even florescent lighting can fade things over time. As some members have noted, it's best to store your books in a windowless room. I have my books in a book shelf with glass doors. I replaced the stock glass with UV blocking glass. This will block out 98% of harmful UV light. This glass can be purchased from any reputable picture frame shop.

#4 Moisture: Books should be stored within the interior of a house. Bookcases against exterior walls are problematic because of the constant changes in humidity from the wall. Constant changes in humidity will weaken the paper fibers as they expand and contract repeatedly over time. If the moisture stays high mildew can set in. Do not store books underground in basements unless you live in an arid area or have excellent humidity control.

#4 Handling: It's best to use cotton gloves when handling books (ideally). Most of the time we have natural oils on our hands (unless you just washed them). These oils won't be visible on the paper at first, but they will darken over time and appear as tanned fingerprints.
Always be gentle with the book's spine -- especially with paper backs. This could require you to read the book without opening it the entire way.
Never store things (cards, bookmarks, photos, etc.) inside books. These create pressure and weaken the spine. They can also leave imprints.

# 5 Storage: If storing on wooden shelves it's not a bad idea to put a protective barrier between your books and the wood like acid-free shelf paper (wood and varnish can age the the book through off-gassing). If on a metal shelf make sure there are no signs of rust. If you're keeping the books upright on a shelf make sure they are held snug and perfectly upright, but not wedged in tight. If a row of books is allowed to slant, this can cause your books to have a "tilt". This is very hard to remove, and can reduce its value. The only way to get a tilt out is to tilt it in the other direction for a long period of time. If people are REALLY serious about storage they may want to look into getting vacuum cases. You can slow down a book's aging by removing it from exposure to oxygen, effectively slowing the book's oxidization.

#6 Smoke, dust, and pests: Obviously it's not a good idea to smoke around books. The tar will yellow the pages and it's very hard to remove the smell. Books should be inspected regularly for subtle signs of pests. Look for small insect castings or frass (looks like sawdust) around your books. These are indicators something has infested the book. Always keep your books dusted. Dust can prematurely yellow the pages and serve as a home for mites.

I hope this helps. If anyone has any specific questions, feel free to PM me. I'd be glad to help.

	TLO THOMAS LIGOTTI ONLINE

[gveranon]

New Nonsense: Do you have any ideas on how best to preserve books in a storage unit that’s not temperature-controlled? Yeah, I know, the best idea is not to do this, but I’ve been forced to as my personal library has grown way beyond the point that I can keep them all in my apartment. I’m hoping to buy a house, if I can, in the next two or three years, but for now I’m stuck with hauling more and more books to a storage unit. I am keeping the books in plastic containers to protect against moisture, bugs, and rodents. Some of the books have been there for a couple of years, and I haven’t seen any damage to them yet, but I imagine I can feel a change in the consistency of the pages. I hope I’m just imagining this, but I think the pages are starting to feel a little bit dry and stiff, the way paper does when it’s been slightly wet and then dried out. Aargh! I don’t have any valuable books in the storage unit, but I do want to keep them as reading copies for the future.

[nomis]

My only disappointment with this thread is most of the good ideas have already been mentioned. Though my collection is not vast, I too have a few books of worth and at one time used plastic bags to store them. My feeling now is that they are more damaging than leaving the books alone. Other than mylar covers to protect the jackets, I leave my books free to breathe. Either the book is designed for a long life or it isn't, and if not then I doubt there's much I could do to save it.

Keep the books out of the light, don't crack the spine, don't smoke or cook around the books, keep them out of damp conditions. Store them straight up (piling them on their side will damage the spine) and as long as you've followed the above and the book's pages are tight together they should be able to withstand many types of insect attack.

But, the most important rule for proper book care is to love them. They're books, after all. What's not to love?

[The New Nonsense]

Quote Originally Posted by gveranon

New Nonsense: Do you have any ideas on how best to preserve books in a storage unit that’s not temperature-controlled?

If they're in a place where you have no control over the climate, plastic storage containers are a good idea as they create a micro-climate to some degree. Water is your worst enemy. Plastic storage boxes are water resistant. They're closed but not hermetically sealed. As nomis mentioned, they need to be able to breathe somewhat. Sealed containers can create problems due to gas build-up. Granted this usually takes a while, but it really depends on where you live and your climate. People who live in the tropics need to take more precautions than those who live in temperate zones.

Unless you're rich and can afford a climate chamber like Boris Balkan in the film The 9th Gate, we can only try our best and work and around our environment. But don't take it so far that it detracts from your enjoyment of them. Fortunately, many of Ligotti's small press books are of very high quality, and with proper care, they should hold up well for a very ,very long time.