How do you preserve hardcover novel and dust jackets?

best possible way is (and i'm serious): don't read it. get a second reading copy.

second, perhaps a bordart cover for the dj itself.

ultimately, it's best to make (or have made) an archival box, and store it that way, standing upright within the box.

the boxes range from premade adjustable boxes which have perforations and creases in them every 1/8" inch or so, which you fold together yourself.

or you can choose from premade boxes, trying to find one close in size. these wouldn't let you stand the book up, but that's ok just takes up more room, because ultimately you don't want to stack more than a couple high. not as attractive a solution though as....

custom clamshell box. There are a number of makers out there, prices ranging from $150 to $300+ (depending how intense you want to get). these can get expensive, but you can go with very simple materials too and keep costs down. these are perhaps the best long-term storage solution, because they are fitted very closely, and create a micro environment of sorts. they are all arcival, so no acid or off-gassing, etc.

or you could (as I have chosen to do), make your own, if you have some modicum of skill in making things. Sage Reynolds has an excellent youtube series which explains it fairly well. sometimes he goes a bit fast on some points, but overall, this is 99.9% of what you need to know.

i have made five so far, and am in the middle of a sixth (for my "signed "Broom of the System"). HERE's one of them

/r/BookCollecting Thread