Today, we bring you some advice we first featured here in 2016.  A number of patrons come in with questions about how to care for their books during their summer sojourns, so we thought we’d bring this post back to help you get the best out of your summer and your summer reading picks!

It’s getting to be that time of year again, dear readers, when we all begin looking around for books to take with us on our summer getaways, our beach days, or our ‘staycation’ days.  And, once again, your friendly neighborhood library staff are here to help you find that perfect book to take with you on your adventures, be they far-flung expeditions, or cozy retreats.

But traveling with books can be a little stressful.  Sand and sun and dirt and bug spray can all be dangerous for wee little innocent books.  We want to prolong their lives as long as possible, so that they can be enjoyed by a wide array of patrons, right?  So here is a quick tip that can help you and your books have a low-stress and fun summer…

One very general recommendation that we would like to make is that library books are very much like sandwiches: it’s much harder to enjoy them if they are sandy, or dunked in water (or carried off by a seagull, but that’s another story for another day).  So take care of your books the same way you would your lunch, as both are usually imperative to enjoying your vacation thoroughly.

It’s not a bad idea to put your books in a plastic bag (as long as both bag and book are 100% dry) in order to protect it from the elements.  You can also keep it safe in your cooler (again, ensuring that it remains dry), to protect it from sun, spray, and seagull damage.  Sand and dirt make sandwiches a little…gritty.  And they don’t make books too happy, either, so do your best to keep your books and your food above the ground at all times.  Treating your book like your sandwich ensures that all our books have a long and healthy life, and get to go on lots of adventures with lots of patrons, so everyone wins!

We wish you the best in your summer excursions, beloved patrons–and happy reading!