Pages and Information

July 08, 2013

Summer and Library Materials: Mix Carefully

Remember to follow these Book Care Tips when enjoying library materials this summer:

Keep Books Dry.  How could books get wet on days when the temperature reaches new highs?  Perhaps spray from a cannon-ball while poolside or drips from a soaked child just done playing in the sprinkler; a spill from a refreshing beverage, say, when a "leak-proof" water bottle and a library book share the same bag; liquid transfer from wet towels and suits heaped in the backseat where-- oops!-- library books are, too.  Books with water damage need to be removed from the collection for health and safety reasons, so ask Circulation staff for a plastic bag to help protect materials!

Read with Clean Hands.  Between rubbing on sunscreen and reading in the sun, make sure to wash hands to remove oils before reaching for library books.  Library materials and popsicle-sticky-hands don't mix. Books should be returned in the same condition as when you borrowed them, so everyone can enjoy them. 

Use a Bookmark to Mark Pages.  Laying books open, face-down, can damage the binding.  Your due-date slip makes an excellent bookmark (and so do all the bookmarks you can grab for free inside the library!).  Other methods of marking pages (folding pages or using thicker items as bookmarks) are also damaging, so come prepared with bookmarks for each book.

Keep Materials Cool.  The dashboard of a hot car isn't a good place for materials, especially plastic DVD and CD cases and books covered with laminate.  Two book drops, one on either side of the library, are available 24/7 for your returning convenience.

If you're worried about keeping library materials safe while at the pool, the river, the lake, or anywhere else, remember that you can take advantage of the Friends of Neill Public Library booksale to acquire books for keeps.  Magazines are free and books are priced to sell, between a quarter and a dollar each.

No comments: