I’m curious if people put plastic covers or any kind of protection on their books. Personally, I don’t and I like the look of a book that has been used. However my girlfriend thinks differently and is very careful on her books, making sure to put plastic coverings before reading/using them and doesn’t allow even a small crease on the book’s spine. What are your thoughts?
by artodyto
25 Comments
I don’t, but I don’t care if other people do.
We use mylar covers in the library to help protect the books, but library books get significantly more handling than my personal collection does. I don’t like the look of the mylar covers, personally.
I’m on the same page here – I like it when my books look like they’ve been read. Plus, I would be way too lazy to put any kind of protection on my books.
I don’t use plastic covers, but I do take care to not crease the spine or bend up the pages.
Honestly I don’t intentionally treat my books very well. However, most of them are still in quite good condition, barring my “well-loved” favorites or accidents. But I’m not a jerk so I do care for other people’s books if that’s their thing. Same for library books.
If I lived with someone who was like that, I would simply keep my library separate and make sure to care for their books if I was going to use them (but probably would just buy a digital version if I wanted to read one of their books to avoid conflict).
I treat my books like shit, honestly. I write in them, dog ear them. My shelves are dusty and full of knick knacks and trinkets that makes everything cluttered and cramped like an old mad wizard. I like to be able to pick up and book and blow a layer of dust off of it like a tome that hasn’t been opened in centuries.
I’m a machinist and I read a lot at work. I’ve given up trying to keep them presentable. If they’re dog earred and covered in blood and/or oil it’s probably on my “already read” list.
Book are for reading, honestly I kinda like a worn look. Keeping them pristine isn’t worth it unless it has a special sentimental value or is a rare edition or something.
I don’t protect my books, but I do try to condition the spine. There are some videos on the subject with some techniques.
Books are made to be read. They are not museum pieces. You take good care of them, but that does not mean you have to embalm them.
From an archival perspective, plastic is quite bad for preserving books.
Unless it’s a really valuable edition or extremely rare, or has some kind of sentimental value to you, it’s just a bunch of paper. I get why books were treated like sacred objects thousands or even hundreds of years ago, but there’s really no need to hold a copy of Eat, Pray, Love in such high regard today.
I used to. Then my books started turning brown except underneath the plastic where it’s still stark white.
I do put plastic covers on pretty much every book, especially those that have dust covers which are bound to look horrible even with careful use.
That funny thing about it is that my mom taught me the technique to neatly put these covers but she thinks I should not do it but I have been complemented by people I know for taking good care of my books.
I don’t. I’m very careful with my books so read ones only have a crease or two, which I don’t really mind. They look read but not torn / abused. The last I’ve seen those plastic things was in primary school. I didn’t like how the textbooks felt in them.
I do have a sleeve for protecting a book during travel, in backpack or suitcase, just so the corners don’t get dinged by other stuff.
What sort of plastic cover? Library covers are okay, but she should check with archivists that she’s not holding moisture in with her plastic covers, those will deteriorate the books. I read my books, she saves hers, okay, just as long as she makes sure she’s doing it properly.
Depends. Most books no, but I have a few first/signed editions that I put plastic on. Also one favorite secondhand find while traveling got plastic, mainly because I love the dustjacket art and the jacket is falling apart. The plastic is holding that thing together for me.
Never but to be honest never thought about doing it
I don’t use plastic covers or anything, maybe sometimes just give them an occasional dust or clean the bookshelves. I like my books to feel like they’ve been read and loved.
I have friends who wrap their books in plastic or even put them in clear ziploc bags to keep them pristine. That’s a little too much effort for me…
I find that wrapping it in plastic damages them more.
Done the old school way, taping edges of plastic to the inside of the covers, they just ruin the inside of the covers with yellowing tape and adhesive. Worse is when you just grab the book and it slips and now you’ve practically pulled back the cover all the way.
With the new full adhesive ones, they’re even worse. They just delaminate the cover.
I’d rather cut my own dust covers from paper, but really I’d just take care of them, and if k can afford it, I’ll have “reading copies” and have mint copies for show.
That’s dedication lol. I don’t have any books that I feel the need to take that special care of – most of the time I get some weird joy when my books start to falls apart after a while, like ‘hell yeah, that’s a well loved book right there’.
As a collector, I put Brodart covers on some of my dustjackets- usually the rarer, more valuable editions or those with signatures. I still read those book, just more carefully, and without the jacket on. Given how much of the collectible value is tied to the jacket, it’s worth it for me if i ever need to sell a copy.
If I have valuable books with valuable covers, yes. Otherwise no.
The sound and feeling of the plastic drives me insane. I don’t paper book covers either. For me, books are meant to be used. I’m not destructive or careless, but it’s not going to devastate me when the spine cracks or a few pages get a little tear or something. Whatever makes happy, but for me that would take so much joy out of reading.
I like my books to show signs of having been loved. I don’t understand the bubble-wrapping of books. Are they not made to be read? Not made to be brought with you in your bag to sneak in a few pages any chance you get? Read with a good coffee and cookie, which a bit of chocolate on your fingers? Dropped to the floor when you doze off reading on the couch?
Do what you want with your own belongings. You don’t need to agree on this.