If you are someone who loves history, one of the most exciting things is the privilege to examine old documents and manuscripts, perhaps even handwritten ones! However, these tend to get old and the paper tends to crumble and becomes brittle after a while. Here are some tips to preserve and maintain old documents and books!
Use sticky taps
Sticky taps are essentially tape-like objects which you can stick on your book which prevents rodents and insects from attacking them. One of the most frightening but common ways that books get destroyed. This prevents such attacks
Never use a post-it, try and use bookmarks instead
Though post-its are a good way to keep tabs on pages you need to refer to later, it is not going to help your book. Over time, the acid of the page reacts with the glue from the post-it. This damages the document over time. Therefore, it is advised to always use bookmarks rather than post-its.
Always pick out the book from the middle of the spine
When handling books, this is one of the most often made mistakes. We tend to pick out the book by pulling at the joint between the spine and the pages at the top. However, this leads to the weakening of the spine over time and is detrimental. Your pages will go flying out one day, and this will lead to a dismantling of the book. The correct way to do it is to use your thumb and forefinger, hold the spine from the middle, and then pull it out firmly but gently. This way the spine remains strong.
Cover old books with cotton
One of the best ways to preserve old books is to wrap them firmly with cotton so that there is protection from external exposure.
Never use a pen on an old book or document
This is another cautionary measure that one must take. Using pencils is still acceptable but pen marks entail pen-ink which has chemicals that might react with the page and cause damage in the long run.
Digitize!
Last but not least, one of the best methods would be to digitize the document and convert it into reels or even soft copies. Then whoever wants to refer to them, can do so through the digital medium. Less usage by people of the real thing would lead to better preservation. Moreover, digital formats have a longer shelf life. It is easier for those reading it and prevents the document from getting lost completely.
