Bookbinding and The Care of Books
Librarians by Douglas Cockerell with Drawings
by Noel Rooke and other Illustrations
New York
1902
Book binding Chapter XXI
Part 2
is certainly a mistake to allow it in libraries.
”The effect of ammonia vapor, and tobacco
fumes, of which ammonia is one of the active
ingredients, was also examined. The effect of
ammonia fumes was very marked, darkening every
description of leather, and it is known that in
extreme cases it causes a rapid form of decay.
Tobacco smoke had a very similar darkening and
deleterious effect (least marked in the case of
sumach tanned leathers), and there can be no
doubt that the deterioration of bindings in a
this cause."
Damp Books - kept in damp places will develop mildew, and both leather and paper will be
ruined. Where possible, naturally dry rooms should be used for libraries, and if not naturally
dry, every means possible should be taken to render them so. I twill sometimes be found that
the only way to keep the walls of an old house dry is to put in I a proper damp course. There are
various other methods employed, such as lining c:: the walls with thin lead, or painting them
inside and out with some waterproofing preparation: but as long as a wall remains in itself
damp, it is doubtful if any of these things will permanently keep the damp from penetrating.
Bookshelves should never be put against the wall, nor the books on the floor. There should
always be space for air to circulate on all sides of the bookshelves. Damp is especially injurious
if books are kept behind closely-fitting doors. The doors of bookcases should be left open from
time to time on warm days. Should mildew make its appearance, the books should be taken out,
dried and aired, and the bookshelves thoroughly cleaned. The cause of the damp should be
sought for, and measures taken to remedy it. Library windows should not be left open at night,
or during damp weather, but in warm fine weather the more ventilation there is, the better.
Heat - While damp is very injurious to books on account of the development of mildew, unduly
hot dry air is almost as bad, causing leather to dry up and lose its flexibility. On this point the
Chairman of the Society of Arts Committee says : “Rooms in which books are kept should not
be subject to extremes, whether of heat or cold, of moisture or dryness. It may be said that the
better adapted a room is for human occupation, the better for the books it contains. Damp is, of
course, most mischievous, but over-dryness induced by heated. Air, especially when the pipes
are in close proximity to the bookcases, is also very injurious."
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