News: January 18, 2001 - How to break the mold in... -
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Published on: 1/18/2001
Last Visited: 8/11/2001
The other day , while browsing through my bookshelves , I discovered mold I think it was mold on a first edition of Stiff Upper Lip , Jeeves. ( Not that I'm a collector of first editions , but I do have a fairly large collection of PGW's works that I don't want to lose. ) Alarmed , I called Jim Visbeck , owner of Isaiah Thomas Books & Prints in Cotuit.
Moisture is a common problem on the Cape , he reported , and yes , it can lead to mold.When a book gets damp , the stuff starts growing.
If you're lucky , the mold is just on the outside , said Visbeck.A soft-bristle brush should remove it..
If mold starts growing inside the book , that's another story.It can be treated with chemicals by a book restorer , says Pam Talin , who with her brother , Jim , runs the Talin Bookbindery in Yarmouthport.Short of that , she recommends going outside , donning a surgical mask and brushing the spores off each page with a soft brush.
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Don't keep books wrapped in plastic , advised Visbeck.Books have to breathe..Sun will kill mold , he says , but it may also cause the book to warp.
As a self-acknowledged bibliomaniac ( I love books.I hoard them.I scoop them up at library sales and used book stores and smuggle them into the house when my wife isn't looking ) , I wondered what other book diseases lurk out there.What injuries might befall my favorite titles , and how can I protect them.
Just as extreme humidity can damage books , so can extreme temperatures.
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Insects are attracted to the glue , said Visbeck.Since all glues are different , one book will be eaten and another will not..
The solution is not to store books where there are lots of bugs , like damp cellars.Un-insulated summer cottages can also be very buggy , observes Visbeck.
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Dust will settle and seep into the paper , Visbeck warned.Keep your books dust-free by occasional dusting or vacuuming.
Visbeck doesn't advise putting dust covers on your books , as the material in the dust cover might damage the book.The brown grocery bag paper used by children to cover their text books is full of acid , he says.
From a collector's point of view , if the dust cover is not native to the book , it's superfluous , said Visbeck. ( An original dust jacket in good condition , however , may double the value of a book. ).
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Some papers are woefully acidic , and no matter what you do , after a while they will go , Visbeck lamented.
If a book is damaged by insects , heat , or plain old wear and tear repairs can be made by a good bookbinder.Books can be rebound , or , especially if they are valuable , they can be restored.
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Store books upright on a bookshelf , away from direct sunlight , advises Visbeck.
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