What do you do to take care of the books in your library? Some of the most avid collectors refuse to read the books in their collection; so the books remain in mint condition. Others buy two copies of a book; they read one, and leave the other untouched. But, many readers must read their books, but they still want to protect and care for the volumes. Here are some tips to remember if you want your books to remain in good condition.

    Difficulty: Easy

    Time Required: Varies

    Here's How:

    1.Avoid Writing You may have been told to write in the margins of your books, or even to underline or highlight words, phrases, and paragraphs. But, if you plan to keep the book, add it to your library, or even sell it--don't write in the book. The ink permanently damages your book. Use a journal or notebook to take notes on pages/passages; or use pieces of paper or Post-It notes. If you are required to write in your book, use a pencil, and erase the markings.

    2.Avoid Food and Drink Food and liquids are hazards to your books. The best practice is to avoid eating or drinking while you read. If you need to read while you eat, make sure your fingers are clean and dry as you hold the book or turn the pages. Also, keep the book well away from the food and drink. Check the table (or other surfaces) for moisture, crumbs, and stickiness before you put your book down.

    3.Take Care When you handle your book, hold it with care. When you read the book, don't fold down the corners of the pages (use a bookmark instead). Don't fold the cover of the book back. Don't break the binding; and don't place your book with the book open, face-down. Use a book cover/dust cover to keep your books in the best condition.

    4.Shelve It When you handle your book, hold it with care. When you read the book, don't fold down the corners of the pages (use a bookmark instead). Don't fold the cover of the book back. Don't break the binding; and don't place your book with the book open, face-down. Use a book cover/dust cover to keep your books in the best condition.

    5.Avoid Heat and Moisture When you install your bookshelves, make sure they are in a dry place--out of direct light, and away from the heat. If you shelve your books in a moist place (basement, bathroom, or other moist areas), mold and mildew can grow on your books. Sunlight can damage the bindings of your books. Too much heat can cause the books to dry out and the pages to crumble.

    6.Avoid Bugs, Pets, and Other Critters Bugs and mice can eat books. Dogs can chew books; and cats can scratch the bindings of books. You can avoid many of these issues by keeping the books in a clean area (and using dust covers). If possible, it's always a good idea to keep the door of your library closed (to avoid accidental enticements for cats and dogs). Also, keeping food away from books also makes them less of a draw for mice and other critters (although mice sometimes chew books for nesting supplies). Avoid using spray or powders near your books.

    7.Keep Out-of Kid's Reach It's important to encourage kids to read, and it's important for children to see you reading. But, kids can also tear pages, chew on the book, and contribute to the overall destruction of some of your most prized volumes. Depending on the ages of the children in your life, you may teach them to handle books with care. If they are of ages (or temperaments) where that's not possible: keep the door of your library shut, shelve books out-of-easy-reach, and/or purchase enclosed shelving units that lock. Again, the idea is not to discourage reading--just to protect books.

    你都是怎么保養你圖書室里書的呢？一些極端分子選擇不去讀他們的藏書，這樣書就能一直是嶄新的。還有一些人則購入兩套，拿一套來讀，另一套放著不動。但是，很多讀者的藏書都是要讀的，而且仍然需要護養。如果你希望你的書籍保存良好，那請記住下面這些小貼士：

    難度：簡單

    時間需求：不定

    操作：

    1.勿涂寫

    也許有人說可以在書邊欄上寫寫畫畫，甚至給詞句段畫上下劃線，或是將其描上。但如果你想保存這本書，放進圖書室，或是打算將其賣掉的話——千萬別往上寫東西。墨水會對你的書籍造成永久性傷害。用日記或筆記本來記東西吧，或是用小紙片，好易貼之類的。要是非寫不可，那也最好用鉛筆，事后擦去。

    2.遠離食物、飲料

    食物及飲料對你的書籍來說是極危險的。最好的辦法就是讀書的時候不要吃喝，持書翻頁之時確保指尖清潔干燥。同時，把書放的離食物酒水遠點。把書放到桌上之前，確認桌面（或其他表面）沒有水，面包渣以及粘質物體。

    3.小心使用

    拿書小心，讀書時勿折書角（用書簽代替）。勿折損封底。勿損壞書脊；勿將書籍翻開倒扣放置。封個書皮，保持書的良好狀態。

    4.放到書架上

    如果你想保管好書籍，那在你沒有閱讀之時將其放于書架上。但同時要注意書籍是否正確放置。每本書都得正向、直立放置（勿將書傾斜放置，更不要堆成一堆）。每本書都要有足夠的上部空間（書上面的空間），這樣你在放書的時候才不會碰著書脊。若是沒有放書架的地方，那把你的書放到盒子里——還是要直立著放。

    5.防水防熱

    安置書架的時候，要將其置于干燥的地方——無直曬，無熱源。若是將書放在了潮濕的地方（如地窖、浴室，或其他潮濕的地方），書上會長出霉菌。陽光會對書脊造成損壞。而過熱則會使書籍干裂紙張脫落。

    6.遠離蟲，寵物及其他牲畜

    蟲和老鼠會咬噬書籍，而狗要啃書；貓要撓書脊。將書放在干凈的地方（封上書皮）則能避免很多這類問題。如果可能，將圖書室的門一直關著也是不錯的（以防貓狗的意外闖入）。另外，將書籍遠離食物也使得他們對老鼠和其他牲畜沒有那么大的吸引力（盡管有時老鼠啃書是為了筑巢），書籍附近勿有粉塵顆粒。

    7.放在孩子夠不到的地方

    鼓勵孩子去讀書是很重要的，讓孩子看見你在讀書也是很重要的。但是，孩子們也很撕書，咬書，和之前那些因素一起毀掉你最為寶貴的書。你可以根據孩子們的年紀，教導他們小心使用書籍。如果他們年齡太小（或耐心不夠），這招不管用：那就把圖書室的門關上，把架子上的書放到不易拿取的地方，或者買可以上鎖的書柜。還有就是，這樣做不是不讓孩子們讀書，僅是為了保護書籍而已。