How to look after your books

A well-kept book can serve three generations. A few habits make the difference:

• Keep them out of direct sun, which fades spines and yellows paper.
• Watch the damp. In the rainy season, leave a little space behind shelves so air can move.
• Shelve upright, not leaning, and don't pack shelves so tight you have to pull books out by the top of the spine.
• Use a bookmark, never a folded corner or a pen.
• Cover school books with clear plastic. They come back in a condition you can pass on.