It
is a central plank of various theories of physics that matter cannot co-exist
in the exact same space. That is, two objects cannot occupy the same physical
point in the universe. This being said, browsers in bookshops never seem to stop
trying to test or de-bunk this theory.
Bookshelves
are made for books. Some are adjustable in order to accommodate various
different sizes of tome, from sextodecimo up to folio; others are of fixed
dimensions. Nevertheless, some people always try to put more books on a shelf
than the shelf can physically hold. And after attempting to do this, these
people applaud themselves for having stuffed more bound paper than ever into
the space provided.
They’re
missing the point: a stuffed shelf is not to be lauded; clean, unbroken books
are the point here. That’s what the shelf is for. Focus on the books people, not the furniture.
When
a bookshelf is overstuffed it becomes a deadly book trap. The next person to
haul a volume off the shelf will likely do one of several things: tear the dustwrapper;
rip the spine-head; tear the hinges; or crack the spine. As well, the book gets
crushed: the spine is put under extreme pressure from either side and it will
crumple, leading to warping of the boards or rolling of the text block.
On
top of this, books in a bunch create their own micro-climate. They breathe and de-humidify
the air around them and they share microbes and bacteria (much like people do
in a group – don’t get sniffy). Leather keeps its condition longer; paper stops
becoming brittle: in short, it’s good to keep books together. They like it.
But
there can be too much of a good thing. Take this test: approach your bookshelf
and extend a finger to the head of the spine of a random book; now pull back
gently rocking the book out on its spine heel a short way; then let go. If your
book falls neatly back into place, then your shelves are fine; if it remains in
position, or you cannot actually pull it out without some degree of force, then
your shelves are over-stocked and you need to make some room.
Whenever
people come into the shop where I work in order to sell books, I can tell at
once the state of their bookshelves at home: everything they have to offer is
torn, chipped, rolled, and bent. I’ve even worked in bookshops where the
instructions from on high were to stuff as many units into the shelves as
possible, because we could then pounce on someone tearing a squeezed book and
force them to buy it (not many of us working there chose to enact this regulation,
it has to be said). I’m no saint either: before I started to look at books as
objects rather than just sources of information I used to cram volumes myself. Nowadays,
I use the ‘tilt test’ outlined above.
Do
your books a favour: let them breathe a little.
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