old bookseller trick • book covers

Dust jacket covers make a HUGE difference. You can turn a VG- dust jacket into a VG+ with just the addition of a dust jacket cover. A closed tear can easily turn into an open tear, a jacket with only good bright color going for it will be protected from rubbing and scratches.

Go into a BETTER bookshop. . . . every book is covered, even the ones WITHOUT dust jackets. WHY? because customers cannot be trusted. They may have been eating an ice cream before they came in, they make be unhygenic or have sweaty palms – why should the books suffer? Almost any ‘good’ book should come out of the box into the customer’s hands WITH a dust jacket cover on it. It makes a good impression, and ensures that the book is in the same condition it was when you cataloged it.

I compared approximately the same product from 4 vendors: each vendor has specialties, lined unlined, perforated, tabbed, sheets, rolls, economy. If you do shows and the books are handled or transported a lot, you want THICKER covers. If you have a lot of books without jackets, you would be better off buying rolls that can be cut to fit. If you have LINED covers, NEVER and i do mean NEVER put TAPE inside the cover to secure the fit, the acrylic adhesive may discolor the boards, fold the plastic and use a bone folder.