by Nompumelelo Gcaba
Macher Afrika
Old books collection can be damaged by several factors including moisture, heat, sunlight, and general mishandling. Here are ways I believe can preserve our old books even longer.
- Store them in low temperature
Store your books in a place with lower temperatures. When it comes to preserving old books. If you have an in-home library keep the temperature between 65 to 73 degrees.
- Store them in metal edge boxes
Placing them in metal edge boxes or artifact boxes, which are acid and lignin-free, I also recommend an order for them to go an extra mile by placing them in unsealed individual polyethylene bags unsealed so the books can breathe.
- Don’t store them in basements
Avoid storing books in basements, which are vulnerable to floods. Basements and attics also typically experience extreme heat and humidity fluctuations.
Lastly, if you want to save a page, do not use a bookmark, made out of acidic materials as these can cause the ink and paper to deteriorate over time. We recommend using a piece of archival paper as a bookmark.
Preserving old books the right way is important now and for the future.
