How to Care for a Library Book

Handling Library Books

Wash your hands before touching your book. The slightest bit of dirt or oil on your hands can discolor or damage the pages and binding. Work up a good lather with the soap. Focus on your fingertips and the palms of your hands. Rub your hands together long enough to sing the “Happy Birthday” song.

Support the spine when removing a book from a shelf. Place your index finger and thumb on either side of the top of the spine. Then, pull it toward you. Avoid pulling on the top edge of the spine with your index finger. You could end up tearing the spine.

Don't write in your book. Avoid marking the pages or binding with ink, marker, or highlighter. Don't even make light pencil marks. You can unintentionally damage the pages when you erase.

Avoid reading your book in or near water. It could fall into the water and be completely ruined. If you need something to read near the pool or in a boat, read a magazine or newspaper that you plan to recycle. If you feel the urge to read something while in the bath, finish up and dry off completely before picking up your book.

Don't eat or drink while reading. Stains and spills are difficult to remove. They can obscure the text and make the pages difficult to read. Keep the book away from your eating and drinking space during mealtime.

Avoid bending the spine too much. Forcing an open book to lie flat can damage the spine and cause pages to fall out. If a book is old or tightly bound, avoid cracking the spine at all. When you're scanning or photocopying pages, don't press on the spine. If the book is a paperback, don't bend the front or back covers. Read your book on a flat surface whenever possible. Otherwise, position your thumb on the bottom of one page and your pinky on the bottom of the other to keep the book open. EXPERT TIP Kim Gillingham, MA Kim Gillingham, MA Master's Degree, Library Science, Kutztown University Kim Gillingham is a retired library and information specialist with over 30 years of experience. She has a Master's in Library Science from Kutztown University in Pennsylvania, and she managed the audiovisual department of the district library center in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, for 12 years. She continues to do volunteer work for various libraries and lending library projects in her local community. Kim Gillingham, MA Kim Gillingham, MA Master's Degree, Library Science, Kutztown University Looking for some good rules of thumb? Kim Gillingham, retired librarian, tells us: "Treat the book the way you would your favorite book. Make sure your hands are clean when you handle a library book, don’t eat or drink while reading, and keep them away from small children and pets. Of course, if you download them to your e-reader, you don’t need to worry about taking care of the books."

Bring your book back inside if you read outdoors. Rain and direct sunlight can damage your book. Even if you only get up for a few minutes and intend to go back outside immediately, take your book with you. Your plans could change or you could forget about your book.

Avoid leaning on your book to write. Pens and pencils can leave indentations on book covers. If you press too hard, they can tear through the paper and mark up the book. Lean on a table or desk. If that's not an option, use a folder, binder, or clipboard.

Keep track of the due date. Make a note of the due date as soon as you check your book out. Request a “date due slip” if the library offers this service. Set an alert in your calendar with an alarm the day before the due date. Ask the library if they send automatic emails when the due date is close.

Return your book on time. In many cases, libraries have only one copy of each book. If you keep your book out too long, it's not fair to the next person who needs it. Honor the due date. If you receive a recall notice, bring your book back as soon as possible for the person who requested it. Renew your book if you're not finished with it by the due date. Ask the library staff if you can renew your book online. If this isn't an option, ask if you can renew over the phone.

Caring for Books Not in Use

Protect your book while you're transporting it. If it's raining, put the book in a plastic bag before taking it out of the library. If you don't have one, ask a librarian. Avoid stuffing paperback books in your pockets, where they could get bent or torn. Keep pens, pencils, highlighters, and markers in a separate compartment from your book if you put it in your book bag.

Keep your book out of reach of pets and small children. Animals can chew your book. Small children can draw on it or tear the pages. If you share your home with animals and/or children, place your book on a tall shelf, dresser, or bookcase when you're not reading it.

Store your book in a safe place. As soon as you bring it home, put your book neatly on a sturdy shelf or table. Don't leave it on a sofa, chair, or bed. Someone may accidentally sit on it and damage the cover or pages. Avoid places where your book could get wet, such as a sink edge or near a bathtub. Make sure your storage place isn't near heating vents or radiators. Heat can cause books to dry out and become brittle.

Use a bookmark. Any flat piece of paper or paperboard can serve as a bookmark. Don't dog-ear pages to keep your place. Avoid using a pencil or other bulky object. It could bend the cover or pages out of shape. Don't tent the book open to hold your place. Avoid sticky notes, which can leave adhesive on the pages. If you're feeling crafty, try making your own bookmark from any number of materials.

Keep your book in your bag when you're reading on the go. You don't want to leave your book at school, on the bus, or at a friend's house. Put it back in your bag when you're finished reading. Then, close your bag securely to prevent your book from falling out.

Avoid lending your book to others. If they lose it or destroy it, you'll have to pay for it. Many libraries will notify patrons when books are returned. If someone wants to borrow your book, tell them to ask the library about this service. You can also have them accompany you when you return the book so that they can check it out that day.

Dealing with Condition Problems

Examine your book before checking it out. Skim through it and look for torn or missing pages, large stains, pen or pencil writing, doodles, etc. Check the covers for missing or defaced parts. If you find any of these, report it to one of the librarians. This way, they won't assume you damaged the book.

Report damage discovered later when you find it. Not all damage is obvious when you first skim through the book. Call the library if you find damage during operating hours. If the library has a special email address or online form to make reports, take advantage of it for damage found after hours. If all else fails, drop by the library in person as soon as possible to notify the staff.

Don't attempt to repair a damaged book yourself. Return it to the library as soon as possible. Explain what happened and let the librarians take care of it. Libraries can repair books with better materials and methods than you can.