Hello!
I am wondering if other church librarians use clear contact paper (or something similar) to wrap their books and protect their book covers? Or is it common to put books into circulation without any sort of wrap?
Our church library has wrapped each of our paperback books in contact paper before being put in the library for circulation, but I'm wondering if this is necessary going forward. It takes a long time and the cost of contact paper is a consideration, as well.
I am wondering if there are libraries that have not protected their paperback books, and how they have held up over the years.
Thank you for your feedback!
Replies
I usually put book tape on the edges of both covers. I use 3-in book tape from Demco. With my next fiscal budget I plan to buy a dispenser which makes this much easier to use and apply without bubbling. This does save a lot of wear and tear on the paperback books. But you're right it does take time. But with paperback books getting more and more expensive, and promising to be more expensive, I feel it is worth it.
I use book jacket covers on hardback books that come with a jacket.
Microsoft Copilot:
Protecting book covers in libraries is essential for maintaining their longevity and appearance. Here are some effective methods:
Plastic Covers: Use adjustable or exact-size plastic covers for both hardcover and paperback books. Polyester covers are highly durable and safe for archival materials2.
Dust Jacket Covers: For hardcover books with dust jackets, transparent covers with paper liners can protect the graphics while adding durability.
Tape Reinforcement: Reinforce the spine and corners of paperback books with clear, acid-free tape to prevent wear and tear.
Lamination: Laminate paperback covers to make them more resistant to damage. Ensure the lamination material is acid-free to avoid deterioration over time.
Storage Practices: Store books upright and avoid overcrowding shelves to prevent bending or warping.
Regular Maintenance: Inspect books periodically for damage and repair them promptly to extend their lifespan.
Would you like more details on any of these methods?
Do you agree or disagree with what Microsoft Copilot came up with to this question?
Hi,
My background is preservation in an academic library environment and I agree with what Copilot listed. The source was DEMCO and their catalogs for a long time have listed basic conservation information. My only warning/concern is the use of lamination or gluing plastic to the cover of the book. If it is a book that you intend to keep forever (history of the congregation or a hard to obtain book or special item) I would NOT laminate because over time the glue will not hold up and may ooze out a bit damaging adjacent items. If, however, you have high circulation and an easily replaced item that will eventually be withdrawn lamination could be done in that situation.
I'll also add that when I first entered the preservation field there was a lot of pro-active treatment (give everything dust jacket covers, etc.) but over time it became reactive -- treat the item only if it needed it. It saved time and money and shifted the focus away from what "might need protection" to items that actually did need protection/repair.
In my church library I don't do anything to protect items unless there is one that obviously needs special handling.
Hi Morlee.
I don't use Copilote; I'm not sure, but I thought I read that there is a fee for using it, which is Microsoft's AI agent.
I do use AI, but the response hear, I think one would want to include the various resources --where to buy as well. Like where to you find "acid free" lamination. And maybe how to lamenate a book.
I was asking ChatGPT yesterday how to convert a cxt file; It was quite thorough and even offered, and did, write a python program for me to use.
So yes, I think using AI can help inform us librarians as well as patrons on their questions.
During the recent AI webinar, the speaker spoke about ChatGPT. There is a free version of ChatGPT and it is the basis for other AI sources such as Microsoft Copilot. I found an online video about tips for using ChatGPT for free. One tip was to access ChatGPT through Microsoft Copilot and others.
For time sake yesterday, I did not have time to provide the deeper information you are suggesting. You are exactly right. The response I got did include several deeper links as you identify here.
You know more about AI than I do so feel free to keep updating us. My purpose yesterday was to just get us talking about AI.
We have not covered our paperback books and they have held up pretty well. A few that got covered at some point in the past look worse because they start to pull up. We do use mylar to cover all jackets for hardbacks.
Thank you for your response! Great points.
Amber, In the past, I did use contact paper on paperback books. We had more circulation at that time. Now, I do not and the books hold up well. After a few years, the contact paper does start to kind of wrinkle and not look as nice. For the hardback books, I definitely would recommend using the mylar covers. It makes the books look nice (like the public library) and protects the paper covers.
Karen Pippenger
Brookside Church, Fort Wayne, Indiana
Thanks so much for your feedback!