It's a feature.

>>7487540
>patina
>"problem"
Pedant

>not being /paperbackmasterrace/

>>7487540
1. Stop bending them back all the way jesus fucking christ you fucking savage

2. When getting a new hardcove,r or even a paperback, it's suggested that you rest it on its spine and slowly open it to about midway. Then you leave it there for a while so it can acclimate.

>>7487663
>acclimating books
Is this a meme?

>>7487667
No, but I couldn't think of another word for it.

Bindings break easier if they're exposed to sudden physical shock. The process I suggested was originally from the Library of Congress, I believe.

>>7487671
Breaking the binding is part of proper handling of a book, if you ask me. They are supposed to look used and beaten.

>>7487674
Ok.

>>7487675
What is the appeal of having books that look brand-new their whole lifetime? Isn't it just a bother to always be on your toes to not "spoil" them?

>>7487681
If you're a member of an inferior underclass perhaps.

>>7487681
It takes very little work to maintain a book. The above process I described is essentially opening a book a certain way and then leaving the room for 5 minutes to get a drink, but it helps maintain the structural integrity of the time itself.

I believe that is important because I have firsthand seen the issues that arise when works become destroyed over time. In my personal library I have a few books from the 19th century and the very beginning of the 20th. Out of these books, a great number are not in print anymore, and without groups like the Google Books initiative, the Library of Congress, and the Harvard Library, there may have been no other alternative to read what they contain. And sadly, many of these books that I own are still not available in that way. For that reason, I keep them intact so that future generations might not be deprived of the knowledge and insights held within.

Now, to clarify, it's not like I'm going to break into hives if a copy of Harry Potter or some other book that is so absolutely ubiquitous is missing a cover or whatnot. But for the more rare pieces, efforts, as little as they may be, should be taken to preserve them simply because they can help paint a picture of us as a species and can help people learn about themselves.

>>7487731
The tome*