Books

The do's and don'ts of handling books

Care and commonsense in handling books will help to prevent damage.

When removing a book from the shelf don't pull it by the top of the spine because you can cause a great deal of damage this way.

The correct way to take a book from a shelf is to push the books on either side of it further into the shelf and hold the book firmly, with your hand around the spine and your fingers on one cover and your thumb on the other. For this reason, it is wise to leave some space between your books and the back of the shelf when you first set them up on a shelf.

This is the wrong way to remove a book from a shelf. Photograph courtesy of Artlab Australia

This book shows clearly the damage that can occur when books are removed from shelves by pulling at the top of the spine. Photograph courtesy of Vicki Humphrey

The joint of this book has split from the top of the book, indicating that it was probably removed from the shelf in the wrong way for many years. Photograph courtesy of Vicki Humphrey

The correct way to remove a book from a shelf. Photograph courtesy of Artlab Australia

Give your book adequate support when removing it from a shelf. Photograph courtesy of Artlab Australia

Make sure your hands are clean when you handle books. Otherwise you can leave dirty marks on the bindings and the pages. Wearing gloves provides added protection—cotton gloves are recommended—but they are not always appropriate because they can make it much harder to turn the pages. Clean, close-fitting surgical gloves are a good alternative to cotton gloves. But cotton gloves should be worn when handling books with gold leaf decorations on the covers or on the foredge of the book.

Books should be opened gently: the spine and the sewing can be broken if the book is forced open. If you're using a book which can't open flat, give it some support so that you don't strain its structure. Some book supports are shown in the section on supporting books when they are on display; but you can also improvise—by using another smaller book or, perhaps, the jumper you are carrying with you in case it gets cold.

When opening new or newly bound books, don't open them from the centre. Start from the front and then the back, and open them gradually, section by section, until you reach the middle. This eases them open gradually and flexes the new structure. Opening them at the middle and forcing them to open flat can break the structure.

It is always best to turn pages slowly and with care. It is very easy to tear paper if you are flicking through the pages quickly. Don't lick your fingers to turn pages—the moisture can set dirt into the paper. You can also transfer dirt and germs from the paper to your mouth. If the book has been fumigated against insects or mould, you can put yourself at risk.

Don't try to carry lots of books at once. You could hurt yourself and if you drop the books you will damage them. If you are carrying valuable books, put them in a sturdy box.

The covers of books can be severely disfigured by abrasion and scratching. This is especially noticeable with very smooth, calf-leather bindings. Don't stack valuable or delicate books, or carry them in such a way that they will rub against each other.