If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Storing books
I find myself in a position where I am going to have put some fairly
valuable books into temporary storage. Probably in one of those mini self storage places that are all over the place. Does anybody have a packing tips to prevent damage? Thanks DC |
Ads |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
On Thu, 22 Apr 2004 16:09:39 -0500, John A. Stovall
wrote: Find one which offer a controlled environment. I had to store a number of books when moving 3 years ago and was able to find a self storage place which was climate controlled. It was run by U-Haul and also offered good security. I wrapped each very valuable book in bubble wrap and put a package of mothballs in each box. For less valuable one I wrapped them in acid free tissue. John's right on target here. Your primary enemies when storing books are temperature extremes, moisture, and bugs; keep the boxes up off the floor - I've found that I can get those wooden pallets for free in any number of places, and boxes placed on these will stay well above floor moisture. If you can't find bubblewrap (and you can buy it in bulk at Staples and Office Max), get appropriately-sized zip lock storage bags and use those. But try for the bubbles first. Mothballs are a good idea, too, Fill any empty space inside with plasic peanuts, so that if you have to move the boxes around for any reason, the books won't shift around and damage each other. Most important of all, leave them there as short a time as is possible. |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
I have many of my books in storage in San Diego. I looked for a 3+
story unit and made sure I rented an interior room on the second floor. That way my books weren't on the ground floor, in case it flooded. And the top floor absorbed most of the heat. And by getting an interior room, the sun didn't heat any of the walls. Cold conditions aren't a problem in San Diego, but I suppose in many areas of the country, rain, snow, and humidity would be a real concern. Be sure to ask about vermin control at any storage unit you consider. DKM On Thu, 22 Apr 2004 20:48:24 GMT, Richard Colville wrote: I find myself in a position where I am going to have put some fairly valuable books into temporary storage. Probably in one of those mini self storage places that are all over the place. Does anybody have a packing tips to prevent damage? Thanks DC To contact me directly, send EMAIL to (single letters all) DEE_KAY_EMM AT EarthLink.net. [For example .] |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
"Bud Webster" wrote...
John A. Stovall wrote: I wrapped each very valuable book in bubble wrap and put a package of mothballs in each box.... Mothballs are a good idea, too... I've always wondered about mothballs, even though I've used them myself. (I bought my wife a box of gardening books at a yard sale, and when I got them home, I noticed some type of book mites on them. So I made a sort of "gas chamber" in my basement, with the books laid out inside a large sealed cardboard box and a dish of moth crystals. Left it there a couple months, and Voila! No more crawlies.) What I've wondered, though, is how safe mothballs are for books in the long run. I know that naphthalene and paradichlorobenzene, the two most common types of active chemicals in mothballs or crystals, have long been used to protect textiles, but what about the possibility of discoloration or damage to the paper? What about harmful effects on leather? Is there any reliable evidence about this one way or the other? -- Jon Meyers (To reply, lose your way) |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
"Richard Colville" wrote in message
... I find myself in a position where I am going to have put some fairly valuable books into temporary storage. Probably in one of those mini self storage places that are all over the place. Does anybody have a packing tips to prevent damage? Hello, I'll add some additional recommendations: small and new corrogated boxes. I found that smaller boxes were easier to manage and open occasionally for checking. I used the 12" cube boxes I bought from U-Haul for most of the 4K books I had to store. And, having learned from a unhappy previous experience, I chose new boxes rather recycled boxes that might have food contamination. Liquor boxes are also good, though they tend to be taller rather than flatter and some have awkward dividers that take time to remodel. It goes without saying that one would never pack fore edge down..... in fact, when at all possible I pack flat. Fitting the books in carefully takes considerable time, so plan ahead in order not to have to make rush decisions. Wrapping and padding takes time, as well. I always keep a pile of less-treasured books for filling out boxes. If you have large books, consider having a few bigger boxes that you cut down for good fit. As for storage, I'll add that I used two layers of pallets to keep the books away from the hydrophilic concrete floor. And between layers of pallets, I laid a double layer of plastic garbage bags to try and deter rising dampness being transferred, via the wood, from the floor. I bought some very large, flat cardboard boxes that came folded and left them folded as a compression cushion between the boxed books and top surface of the upper pallet. Get the pallets as early as you can and put them into airy storage to dry out as they are often wet and/or still sappy if new. Better still would be plastic pallets, if you can find them. I stacked the boxes no more than three boxes high to avoid pressure. I grouped the boxes in groups of five boxes by four (total of 60 boxes in a blob). Around the groups I had walking and inspecting room. If I had had room, I would have only stacked the boxes two high. On top of the groups I laid dust sheets at first and then I added loose plastic tents when I got antsy about leaks (never had one, but worried about it). The plastic was just laid over, not tucked in and did not extend down to the floor. I used overturned small boxes on the top of the book boxes to support the plastic sheeting away from the surface of the cardboard. These books were stored in an unheated building in New York for 4 years.(OK, everybody can gasp now!) And OK, I'll admit it, this was in a large former dairy barn. I was not happy with this plan, but it was the best I could do under some unusual circumstances. The piles were inspected a couple of times a week. I worried daily...... The books came through in the same condition that they began. (In contrast, during the same period I had a smaller group of books which came not from my family, but my in-laws, and were packed in the same manner (by me) and stacked similarly, but stored in an empty room in my heated house. I was trying to give better care to my DH's books than mine. However these books developed mildew problems last summer when the barn-stored books did not. Go figure .....) Another good idea is to label, on at least two sides, so you have a better shot at knowing what's in which box. I made a rough index of the subjects, but inevitably with 1000's to pack, I misplaced a few books when the boxes were packed. Nothing lost for good, of course, but sometimes the odd off-subject book was a perfect fit and so it was tucked in a different box. Spread the book packing over several days if you can, as I found I burned out after 5 or 6 hours. And, though I used acid free tissue for wrapping really fine books, I used reams of unprinted newsprint to wrap regular books. I did not use much plastic wrappings and under the conditions I had, the items that had plastic on them did only marginally better than the ones wrapped in newsprint. I also used crumbled (unprinted) newsprint as packing, rather than peanuts. (Be sure, if you do use peanuts, to use the otherwise odious styrofoam ones, rather than the ones made of organic starches that a critter might find tasty.) The books were loaded on a truck by my husband and I and driven up from Virginia by ourselves, so I didn't have to pack for commercial shipping, just ordinary anti-shifting. Finally, before everybody goes nuts: I do not *recommend* storing the books under the conditions I describe. As I said, I would have preferred to have them in heated space, but that was the best I could do at that point. I did bring in the most valuable items, but I didn't have enough room for everything. The annual outdoor temperature variation here ranges from -20F to 95F and humidity would run the gamut, as well. The barn is part of a large complex (no longer used for animals), two stories tall and timberframed wood with a slate roof. It is not particularly air tight, though weathertight as far as rain or snow. Its saving grace is probably that it is so big that the changes in temp and humidity were somewhat gradual. And I took special care in the packing, stacking and monitoring. I'm pointing this out because there maybe other people out there who have to select the best choice among the less-than-perfect ones. It is easy to get overwhelmed by the experts' standards and lose hope or sight of what simple steps can be taken to make the best out of what you've got. My books were not improved by their storage, but neither were they particularly harmed, either. Hope that helps! As I proofed this, I notice that the OP described his books as "fairly" valuable. Since one person's valuable might not compare to mine, let me be clear about which books I did NOT consider storing in the barn: I brought in books whose replacement value would be in, say the more than a few hundred dollars and up apiece category. That's what I call "valuable". If the OP's books are all more valuable than that, then I would consider other storage options for the entire collection. Nancy |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
"Jon Meyers" writes:
I've always wondered about mothballs, even though I've used them myself. (I bought my wife a box of gardening books at a yard sale, and when I got them home, I noticed some type of book mites on them. So I made a sort of "gas chamber" in my basement, with the books laid out inside a large sealed cardboard box and a dish of moth crystals. Left it there a couple months, and Voila! No more crawlies.) I bought a used copy of Spanier's book on Algebraic Topology. As it turned out, it has a strong smell of mold and I can't bear to read it. I waited too long before deciding that it was so bad, so I can't return it. Do you have any cures for mold and stench? It doesn't look mildewed, except that if one closes the book and looks at the book edge on, one sees somewhat brownish spots. But I've seen much worse spots on other books, even on the pages themselves, and the books had no odor. I'm keeping it isolated from the rest of my books and wrapped up in plastic, until I figure out what to do with it. Ignorantly, Allan Adler ************************************************** ************************** * * * Disclaimer: I am a guest and *not* a member of the MIT Artificial * * Intelligence Lab. My actions and comments do not reflect * * in any way on MIT. Moreover, I am nowhere near the Boston * * metropolitan area. * * * ************************************************** ************************** |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Comic Books and SF Magazines on eBay | CHANGE DOMAIN TO DJA D0T MAILME D0T ORG TO EMAIL | General | 0 | January 16th 04 11:38 PM |
FA: Comic Books and SF Magazines (Several Lots) | CHANGE DOMAIN TO DJA D0T MAILME D0T ORG TO EMAIL | General | 0 | January 14th 04 03:59 AM |
[FAQ] rec.collecting.books FAQ | Mike Berro | Books | 0 | December 26th 03 09:18 PM |
Book signing information | Ted Kupczyk | Autographs | 6 | November 2nd 03 03:04 PM |
UPCOMING BOOK SIGNINGS | Todd F. | Autographs | 5 | August 4th 03 06:54 AM |