The Basics of Book Care

by Kaitlin Stevens on February 9th, 2022

Whether you’re a collector or a seller, it’s definitely in your best interest to keep your books in excellent condition. But, as any avid reader knows, accomplishing this can be a bit of a challenge. Re-reading the same books over and over can lead to wear and tear, especially if you aren’t taking special care to make sure that the book stays as pristine as possible.

While most book buyers on PangoBooks are accepting of normal signs of usage on books, there’s no doubt that most folks will opt for a copy in better condition if given the option. If you’re thinking about how to best maintain your books for resale purposes or simply for your own satisfaction, we’ve compiled some tips here to keep your collection looking its best.

Store Your Books Correctly

It may seem simple but as it turns out, there are a lot of wrong ways to store books.

The best way to store them is in upright position, spines out, with bookends to hold them in place so that they don’t slouch or lose their shape. This is especially important for paperbacks since their soft covers and typically thinner pages make them more malleable. For larger books that can’t fit upright, storing them flat on their sides with the spines out is the best option.

The temperature at which you store your books is also super important, and the placement of your bookshelves can be a major factor here. Try to keep bookshelves in a place where the temperature and humidity can remain consistent. Typically, aiming for a temperature in the 68-72 degree fahrenheit and 40-50% relative humidity range is ideal. If you’re really committed to this (and especially if you’re storing any rare or fragile books) it’s worth buying a basic combination thermometer / hygrometer to keep track of the environment around your bookshelf.

Relatedly, it’s also wise to keep books out of attics and basements where the temperature and humidity may fluctuate more, and where higher levels of moisture can lead to deterioration or mold. Experts often also recommend keeping books out of direct sunlight which may fade the covers or change the colors of the pages.

A basic thermometer-hygrometer combo unit is an easy way to monitor the environment around your bookshelf.

Use Bookmarks!

This may seem obvious, but it bears repeating. Using real bookmarks made from acid-free paper or cardboard, or other safe, non-sticky materials will help preserve your pages. Using paperclips, adhesive sticky notes, or rubberbands to keep your place in a book can tear your pages, create rust stains, or even rip pages out if you aren’t gentle enough. And of course, folding your pages down to hold your spot creates “dog ears” which aren’t easy to reverse. Use this as an opportunity to buy (or make!) some high quality bookmarks you can use time and time again. You may even end up with a few packages from sellers on PangoBooks!

Be Mindful with Repairs

If you read rule #2 too late and your pages are already dog-eared, here’s how to fix them. As it turns out, removing wrinkles from pages is similar to removing wrinkles from clothing. If you’ve ever steamed a rumpled shirt, you know that moisture is key for getting rid of wrinkles. But don’t put your steamer directly on your book pages. Instead, lay a thin towel or washcloth over the page that needs to be straightened out, then turn the steamer on the delicate setting and hold it a few inches from the towel and book for a few minutes. Check on it, and hopefully the creases will be released.

If the steaming method seems risky, you can use a cotton swab moistened with water, gently rub the moist end on the crease, then with your finger or a small, flat tool, delicately push out the dog-ear. You can also try laying heavier books on top of the book with a bent page for a while, similar to using weights to straighten out a new rug.

On a similar note, it’s important to not take all book repair matters into your own hands. Not every book repair is as simple as it seems, so don’t get too confident with clear tape, and definitely put down the glue. Attempting to repair broken spines or major rips in pages may cause more damage than its worth, and in most cases you’re better off just disclosing these imperfections when it comes time to sell the book in question. If its a rarer or more valuable book, you can also considering finding a professional to help.

Selling Used Books in Different Conditions

If your book is preserved well and in “like new” or “excellent” condition, you can, of course, usually sell it for a higher price on Pango than the same title in more beat up condition. For example, this “like new” paperback of Beach Read is listed for $9, while this “good” condition paperback of the same book is listed for almost 50 percent less at $5.

With that consideration in mind, here are a few tips on selecting the condition of your used book listing to help inform your pricing:

If you’ve read it once or so, but it’s still basically perfect, list as like new.

If it’s seen a little more usage but has hardly any visible wear and tear, like a cracked spine or dog-eared pages, you can list it as excellent.

If your book has a couple of minor imperfections, like a scratch or two on the cover, a wearing spine, or maybe one or two creases on some corners, you can list it as good.

If your book has more visible wear and tear, but is still in pretty good shape, list it as fair.

And if your book looks nothing like new, with creases, a cracked spine, stained pages or rips, list it as poor.

More book tips from PangoBooks: