The books that turn to dust, antique books and how to care for them

We've inherited books that are sitting on the shelves slowing turning to dust, or so it would seem. A majority of these books have to do with Virginia and the courts, Virginia Reports, and date from the 20th Century back through the 19th Century into the late 18th Century. Many are leather bound and in poor condition.

We house these on shelves in our library (I use this term loosely) out of direct sun but with a large window providing morning light. Short of sending them for restoration, what is the best way to store them and / or care for them? Any suggestions are welcome.

 

There are books written on this subject, of course, from which one can glean all kinds of more finite info, but the most important thing one can do is atmosphere. Keep the temperature to within ten degrees on either side of 60, and the humidity just right. I have no clue if humidifiers come with a gauge, or if they can be programmed to turn on or off when necessary. ??

Presumably the books could have been donated to some appropriate Virginia facility, so I presume you want to keep them. I know I would!!! Of course...you might want to buy another oriental rug. One that matches the colors in the books. Actually, my rug would work very well. Would you like my address?

 

No, SIS, that IS a library -- I want DH to build shelves like yours now, LOL! Your library looks like it should be in Architectural Digest or something! I bet some of the booksellers boardies would have lots of advice for you -- very little action going on in the old Booksellers board/group.

 

LOL, I actually put the photo of the room to show the amount of morning sun it receives. It's not my favorite rug but the red on the books looks pretty good with the rug, even the thrift store leather chairs are red. I don't have much decorating sense so it's a lot of red. I built the shelves myself so no one should ever look too closely.

DH inherited these books, probably close to 200, from his father so I doubt he'll get rid of them though someday our kids might. I suppose keeping them as much intact as possible in a home environment until then is what I'm hoping for.

Maintaining a fairly constant temperature isn't too much of a problem though it's probably a bit higher, closer to 72-74°. Maintaining humidity is a bit problematic. As with many homes we have dry air in winter and even with air conditioning the Virginia summers are humid. This room cannot be closed off so I suppose a whole house humidifier might be the only way to have much effect.

 

Books are used to being kept in British libraries in British houses with little heating at any time and whatever humidity comes along, for hundreds of years. They are tough things, usually and you have to work to mess them up, like having leaky roofs dribbling on them or a bookworm infestation.
I'd say yours are as well placed as they are likely to be anywhere.
I have 300 year old books in the shed (not many, admittedly) that I'm not expecting to come to harm.

 

AF you Brits are a fearless lot LOL!

Our poor books already are suffering from whatever they've gone through in their lives (which I know aren't old by English standards ). I was thinking there must be something more we could do to help them out but perhaps we're doing about all that one can when living with old stuff.

 

The leather bindings may have what is called red rot, in which the leather appears to be turning to powder.

This article has some ideas about how to treat it, and also some advice about what not to do. Also read the Editor's Note at the end for more information:

http://www.bookthink.com/0071/71alt.htm

 

Ah, very good article, thank you! It does sound like red rot is at least part of the problem. Reading about the petroleum jelly fiasco is exactly why I'm so reluctant to tackle things using so many of the internet recommendations.

 

I bought acid free archival clear book covers for my old books. After about 10 years they need to be replaced. That is quite the library you haave NICE!

 

I also have a collection of inherited antiquarian books, mostly 19th century, and have the same concerns. The books are on shelves in my living and dining rooms and we're trying to keep the temperature fairly constant.

I purchased clear covers like spirit-of-shiloh mentioned from Brodart a while back, but haven't tried using them yet.

Lovely library!

 

Isn't it just! (She said covetously!) Looks like my old condo, except that my baby grand was in front of the window. Can't do it here; too many windows.

 

SIS....I had to come back to look at your library....so inviting. You did a wonderful job building those shelves. So fresh and clean yet cozy.

I only have one wall in the living room filled with books. I love books but I am a bad keeper of them. Some of my books have lived in cigar,pipe and cigarette smoke since before I was born,and to this day. And the dust? Maybe that will keep my book worms away.

 

The bane of all paper is humidity, a constant humidity, not to high and not to low will keep paper at it's best. Drastic changes in humidity will tear paper and fiber apart and having the books in a south facing room can cause the room to heat up at noon and cool down at sunset and therefore rise and lower humidity on a daily basis. The fibers in the pages plumping up and thinning out with rising and lowering humidity are like a million microscopic hands tearing at the fibers of the pages. Temperature is much less a problem, unless you have severe temps and quick fluctuations, though a temp closer to 60 is preferred. But usually to the extent that temp affects the humidity, is when it can be a problem. Basements and attics are often the worst in the regard to humidity and temp changes.

My suggestions, and I am not an expert, are:

1) donate them to someone who will take care of them. Is there a law library or college who would want them? At least the oldest ones if they are rare. But maybe not because every lawyer seems to have a collection of state laws going back to god knows when, they might be more interested in the content than the antique binding.

2) Put glass doors on the shelves, this will create a micro climate within the book case that will resist the daily fluctuations in humidity. In a controlled environment like that you can add a silica humidity absorber, which will help regulate the humidity to keep it more constant.

3) Don't display all the books at the same time. Even though I love the look of these old books, my designer eye says it's too much of a good thing. I like to see bookcases broken up by art and sculpture, and when all the books are the same it can start to look like a 1970s spaghetti restaurant or law office, a cool law office, but a law office non the less. You could easily remove half the books, box them up and put them in the back of a closet where the temp and humidity changes won't be as drastic. Then every few years, you could switch them around.

4) Shut the curtains and close off the window when no one is in the room.

5. Don't put plants or bowls of water in the room (flowers), unless it is for a special occasion.

6. I have used lanolin on some leather with great success. I fond a type of ethnic hair conditioner with a very high concentration of lanolin, almost all lanolin, that I have used on dried leather and to condition new winter boots. I found it at a wig and salon supply store that sold alot of extensions. I don't know that I would try it on books, but for a stiff leather bag that was destined for the dust bin, it worked wonders.

 

WOW...caring for books is more arduous than kids Thank goodness I let my books sit for years and collect dust and ciggie smoke,yup, I love my old books and figure they lasted way before I was born and will possibly out last me when I am gone

Now RARE manuscrips,vellum,etc and books at least several hundred years old, then I would take drastic care. But thats just me

 

I agree that the amount of conservation, care, etc. should be gauged against the age and relative value of the artifact. The thing I noticed about paper crumbling/rotting, is it's like mold. If it's not there, there isn't a problem. But once it starts it can take off like a plague.