While the words of famous authors are often considered immortal, that is less true of the books those words are printed on. Paper is not only subject to tearing, but to staining, crinkling, warping, or fading unless carefully stored. Therefore, if you are planning to keep your personal library collection—or other paper products—inside a storage unit, use the following guide to preserve their condition.

How to Prepare Your Books for Long-Term Storage

1. Clean the Pages

Books that get wet can develop mold, break apart at the spine from dissolved glue, have their words run, or the paper may tear. Therefore, do not use a damp rag to clean off any dirt or grime on the cover. Instead, dust your books off with a soft brush. As you flip through the pages, check for any bugs—like paper-eating silverfish.

2. Wrap Them Up

Wrap your books with non-acidic archival paper to help protect them from dust and other environmental factors. Don’t bag them in plastic, which could trap moisture inside.

3. Box Your Books

When packing up your wrapped books, use acid-free archival boxes or at least ones made of sturdy cardboard. Arrange hardback books in an upright position. Paperbacks can be stacked flat. However, you should never store any books with their spines towards the top of the box, since this will crease pages and stress the binding, leading to warping.

While you should avoid having too many gaps that could encourage sliding, don’t pack the books so tightly that they aren’t in a natural position. 

4. Choose a Safe Environment

Keep your books in a cool, dry space. When looking for the perfect storage unit, find one that offers climate control so the temperature and humidity inside will stay the same despite outside conditions.  

Need a storage solution for your books? Turn to East “O” Street Self Storage, located in Lincoln, NE. They offer storage units in a variety of sizes—as well as climate-controlled options. They also make security a priority with 24/7 video surveillance. For more information about this self-storage business and its offerings, visit their website. Call (402) 489-0134 to discuss availability with a representative.