We all know the importance of maintaining good condition for our books. And, I think we can agree that the dust jacket is the most fragile part of our collection. Keeping them out of direct sunlight is always a good start but covering them with plastic is the best way to protect and uphold value of our books. One of the first places I "discovered" as a book collector was the website of Broadart. They sell a wide range for both the institutional (libraties, schools, etc) and the private book collector. You can find them HERE. I prefer a glossy, midweight, jacket cover and generally order them in sheets (though if you have many covers to work on, a roll may be more economical).

One of the "tricks" to working with jacket covers is to form a nice sharp crease at the edge of the jacket. Broadart sells a few tools to accomplish this. My favorite is the bone folding tool. A less expensive plastic one can be bought but it is inferior to the heft of the bone one and just doesn't do as good of a job.

There are other supplies that are available on Broadart from erasers, to book cleaners to cotton gloves for handling valuable books. A package of 12 disposable gloves can be had for $5.15 and can be a great investiment in the preservation of your collection.

I have no financial relationship with Brodart - I don't make a commission if you buy anything from their site. I am providing this information because I wish it had been readily available to me when I first started collecting.

Here is a trick I picked up for dealing with books that smell. You know the ones - they come from houses where smokers lived or they were stored in a garage and smell a bit musty... I have a large plastic container with a tight fitting lid. I put kitty litter in it (no need to get fancy with this - just ordinary kitty litter will do). I place the smelly book on a wire rack on its back or for really smelly ones, I stand them on the bottom edge and fan the pages open. The lid is closed and they are left for 3 days to 3 weeks - depending on how bad the smell was. This make huge improvements in book odor. Do not expect miracles, however. If you come across a book that has been stored in a damp cellar for years and reeks of mold - DO NOT buy it at any cost. You do not want to introduce that mold into your collection, do you?

Do any of you have resources to share or tips and tricks that we will find helpful? If so, please leave them in the comment section of this post.

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