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Caring for Books and BookplatesAbout Removing Must & Mold from Books, Inscribing Books, Bookplates
Learn helpful tips on getting the musty smell out of old books. Plus, find out the proper place to sign a book and place a bookplate.
Q: How can I remove the musty smell from old books?A: You just couldn't pass up the opportunity to purchase that antique copy of Doctor Doolittle's Circus, a classic children's book. But, unfortunately, you discovered the book smelled musty and displayed evidence of mildew. What do you do? There are some strategies you can try to fight the musty smell yourself, according to Deborah Wender of the Northeast Document Conservation Center in Andover, Massachusetts. Our expert agrees, however, that there is no guaranteed way to remove the musty smell from old books. You can try, first, wiping the book with a clean, soft, barely damp towel. Clean off the cover, the tops of the pages and the pages themselves. If you feel any moisture present, open up the book and allow it to dry in a sunny, airy spot. You can also use a fan to circulate air. Then, place a sheet of a specially-designed paper containing Zeolite molecular traps (see sources below) between the front board and the endpaper, every 100 pages throughout the book and between the back board and endpaper. Close the book and place it aside until the odor is reduced. You may need to replace the paper several times, inserting new sheets at different spots in the book. The Zeolites in the paper help deodorize the book; according to Wender, the paper has proven to be effective in removing odors. With success, the book should be ready for reading in about a month. Q: When I give a book for a gift, on what page do I sign and write a note? What is the correct location for a bookplate?A: If you plan to give a book that you have personally authored as a gift, sign it on the title page only if that page contains just the title and no other information cluttering the page. If you have not authored the book, sign it and place the date and any notes you wish on the first free front endpaper. This endpaper is the first blank page you encounter as you open the book. When you sign here, your recipient won't need to spend time looking for the inscription. If the first free front endpaper does not contain enough space for an inscription, then sign on the following page (either the left- or right-hand side). You can also sign on the inside cover, taking care not to allow the book jacket to cover it up. A bookplate is a printed identification label that states ownership of the book. A bookplate frequently carries a symbolic personal design. The history of bookplates dates back to the beginning of the sixteenth century. Bookplates can be found in the books shelved in libraries of European monasteries. Place a bookplate on the front inside cover of a book, centered in the middle of the page. SOURCES Northeast Document Conservation Center Andover, MA 978-470-1010 MicroChamber® Interleaving Paper Conservation Resources International LLC 800-634-6932
The copyright of the article Caring for Books and Bookplates in Home Management is owned by Michael Vyskocil. Permission to republish Caring for Books and Bookplates in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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