How to preserve and store vintage books / magazines?

[John in Covina]

As a youngster i had received a set of old Hardy Boys books in the brown cover from friends of my parents. I think they were published during the WWII era and the paper was very acidic. The pages turned brown and disintergrated! I was kinda bummed out over that.

 

[Twitch]

And if you are planning to store any magazines or books beware of termites! They eat paper as well as wood and they eat it faster.

 

[PA Dancer]

How do you deal with stuck-together pages?

I ask specifically because I bought a book by my all-time favourite author which had been kept outside and yes, it's gone rather mouldy, but also the binding has swollen in the damp and some of the illustrated plates are stuck together.

It would upset me to have to throw it away - I have another copy for reading - but is it salvageable, or is it toast?

The only thing I can think of that will unstick pages is steam...like unsticking glue on an envelope. (Tea kettle, facial steamer)

Once you get the pages un-stuck, keep the pages fanned open until they dry.
It might be worth a shot if the only other option is the trash.
Good Luck.

 

[Barry]

I have been reading some comics and graphic novels for a while now. I was buying in trades but decided to switch to individual issues. I store the comics in Mylar sleeves with a acid-free backing boards. The sleeves are not inexpensive, but I feel they are worthwhile. I also keep everything in corrugated plastic boxes.

 

[Miss 1929]

Mildew on leather

can be removed with Vaseline... but it is not good for paper. So if you only have the external binding mold, there's one way...

It occurs to me, if heat and sunlight can kill the molds, what about a quick zap in the microwave? Not for stapled items of course, but books and magazines that are stitched, rather than stapled, might be OK. You would have to watch it closely to prevent scorching... it's just a wild thought of mine, I have never heard of it being done.

 

[Foofoogal]

http://orpheus.ucsd.edu/preservation/microwav.html

I guess not. I have heard freezing. I have a lot of really old books and am so lazy with them for some reason. Need to do something or sell them.

 

[Miss 1929]

Yikes!

I won't try it!
I am currently making a new home (where I can get at them) for my Delineator collection - I have an entire decade, 1927-36 of that wonderful magazine. All these are such helpful hints on storage right now!