Do you find yourself annoyed with tattered dustjacket covers and paperbacks that wear out before their time? Do you like your books to stay new looking longer? Do you like to loan your books to others only to have them returned with more wear than you'd like to see? There is a solution - book covers, and they can be a worthwhile and small investment for your home library.

  Anyone who uses public libraries has seen dustjacket wrappers. Simple mylar covers that protect the jacket on hardcover books, these wrappers are similar to the baggies that comic book collectors use to protect their comic books. They are quite inexpensive and anyone can buy them from one of several library supply outlets. Depending on how perfectly you want them to fit, there are a lot of options for material and sizes to choose for your books. Some suppliers will sell you an inexpensive package of assorted jacket covers so you can sample them. The only tools needed are something to crease the mylar closed (we use a bone folder, also inexpensive and from library suppliers) and something to cut and trim with. We use a set up with a rotary cutting tool, but scissors will suffice if you're just doing one or a few covers at a time. 

  Most available dustjacket covers have paper linings which some collectors value as extra protection and strength for the jacket. This is great, because better jacket protection means a more protected book. However, a paper lining also adds bulk to the jacket and subsequently to the book and some people just don't like that. At Books For These Times, we use custom cut covers and line them with matching mylar. This adds virtually no bulk to the book. A higher quality mylar makes up for any loss in durability.

  What about softcovers, or paperbacks, you ask? How many people can handle a paperback long enough to finish it and not cause some creases, chips and tatters? A sturdy book may have a lot of readings left in it, but look like it's ready for recycling. Slipcovers are an inexpensive solution. These vinyl covers are reuseable, washable and always removeable. They'll last for many years and so will books inside them. They elevate a paperback to something more like a hardback. You can feel the difference - and the book will take a lot of abuse. A slipcover turns a book into a tough volume you can drop into your backpack, messenger bag, purse or pocket. You can circulate a slipcovered book among friends. These volumes wear like iron. Slipcovers are simple to install and uninstall. We recommend buying a sampler assortment of these if you want to do your own covers, because it can be tricky getting a proper fit.

    Does all this sound good, but maybe more work than you want to get stuck with? One solution is to buy books with covers on them. Many eBay book sellers are using dustjacket covers on hardbacks, because they are inexpensive and help protect stock while in storage. So far, we know of no other sellers who use slipcovers for softcovers and buyers have been pleasantly surprised with their purchases. Happy feedback comments often mention the slipcovers included with many of our books. We hope to add a dustjacket covering service soon. We would welcome any serious inquiries, but in the meantime, browse our inventory for books on eBay. Most, but not all of our inventory is either wrapped or slipcovered.

 
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