Preservation help for very old publications

[BradH]

Hello -
I'd appreciate any feedback you might be able to offer on the best way to preserve old publications. I have a run of Spalding Guides from early 1880s to the 1920s and a run of National League Constitution books from 1877 to the 1920s. Also a few other rule books, DeWitt's books, etc from that period...

Most of them are in great shape, and have been inserted into nice leather covers or simply re-bound into leather covers. A few others literally suffer paper loss and/or flaking every time I open them - and that is what I'm concerned about. I currently keep them stored in a Rubbermaid tub in an air-conditioned room, out of light. The books are all just stacked on top of themselves in columns within the tub. I only use at them a few times a year, usually when I'm researching something or just want to look at the old ads.

Can anyone offer advice on a better way to store them? I feel as if there might be a better way to do it, but maybe what I'm doing is fine?

Thank you,
Brad

[barrysloate]

Brad- that's a very nice run of guides and constitutions you have.

I don't know if there is a significantly better way to store them. Unfortunately, the ones that flake are likely to continue doing so. There is a spray that conservators use to deacidify paper and it would make the pages a little more supple. But it would cost some money to do, and if the books are too far gone then you probably can't save them.

You could try to find some mylar bags to store each book in. That would be a good way to keep them when they are not being read, but when you take them out they would still be subject to flaking.

The way you have them now seems pretty reasonable. I'm assuming that they are not stacked on top of each other, so that if you need a book from the bottom you don't have to move ten others to get it.

I have a set of Spalding Guides from 1905-1942 but nearly all are bound in board covers, so I keep them in a barrister bookcase the way you would store any book. I guess the best thing you can do is handle them carefully when you use them, and perhaps to contact a paper conservator and see if he recommends deacidifying them. It could be costly, however.