How to dry your books after a typhoon, according to experts

MANILA, Philippines – After several areas were submerged because of Typhoon Carina and the enhanced southwest monsoon, archivist and librarian Ronie Von Varona shared tips on how to salvage your books that have been drenched from flooding or rainwater. 

“As an archivist/librarian, I guess this is my own little way of helping those na naapektuhan ng malakas na ulan at pagbaha these past few days. it may not be much but I hope it helps those na may personal libraries sa bahay. Para maging guided sila sa proper procedure ng pagpapatuyo ng mga libro nila,” Varona wrote on Facebook. 

(As an archivist/librarian, I guess this is my own little way of helping those who were affected by heavy rains and flooding these past few days. It may not be much but I hope it helps those who have personal libraries at home, so they can be guided on the proper procedure of drying their books.) 

Varona summarized guides from several official libraries for what to do in this situation. Here’s an expanded rundown of steps you’d need to take to restore your personal collection: 

Identify source of water damage

According to the Northeast Document Conservation Center, you must first identify the source of the water that damaged your books before you begin the restoration process. 

If the water that wet your books came from a contaminated area, like a sewage pipe or a water source that may have been exposed to animal feces, do not handle the restoration process yourself. Instead, contact a professional. 

Assessing

First, identify which books you want to prioritize. This step is all up to you. You can choose to salvage first your favorite collection or the books you love most. After that, categorize them according to the severity of the damage. 

You can split the books up according to these categories, which each require different methods of restoration:

• The thoroughly damaged books
• Moderately damaged books 
• Damp books
• Pamphlets and small paperbacks
• Clay-coated books 

Their level of wetness determines the first steps of drying, which will be discussed in the following steps. 

Handling

Create a workspace with a table top covered with a piece of plastic then with several layers of absorbent paper to absorb excess water. 

Do not open the books as wet books are delicate and prone to tearing easily. In your work surface, support the spine, cover, and pages properly to not allow the books to bend. 

Cleaning

Meanwhile, if there are large amounts of mud or soil on the books, you can start by removing it first before you get to drying the books themselves. To remove the mud, close it shut under running water or submerge it in a pail of water.

The Preservation Division of the University of Michigan strongly advises against rubbing and brushing the book. Instead, gently use a sponge or rag in a daubing manner. Never attempt to open the book while under running water or submerged.

Drying

Make sure to remove traces of wet absorbent paper on the drying area of your work surface.

Then, place the thoroughly damaged book closed on its head with an absorbent paper or sponge under it for absorption. Avoid fanning the pages open. For all books, aside the clay-coated ones, opt to place paper towels or unprinted newsprint between the cover and text block for faster water absorption. 

Once moderately dry, carefully lay the book down and insert sheets every 20-30 pages. For clay-coated books, the sheets should be inserted after each page to avoid any clamping. Remember to remove the sheets when they’re wet enough to replace and be mindful of using too many of them as it can cause permanent distortion of the books. Turn the books from one side when the sheets are replaced. 

At this point, the books will be dampened so you can stand them again on their head (top edge) and open the books by slightly fanning the pages. Do not force open the books, let it dry and open widely on its own. 

This process can take several days or a few weeks. You can escalate it by pressing the books under the weight of clean and heavy things such as other books or a brick.

For the pamphlets or small paperbacks, hang them in a fishing line or a clothesline without letting the air tear the pages. Once dry, flatten the paper by using some paper weights. 

Freezing

If immediate air drying is not feasible, you can buy yourself some time by freezing them. By doing so, your books can safely stay frozen from weeks to months. 

First, wrap the books with paper towels or unprinted newsprint and then seal the wrapped book in a freezer bag. Make sure to label it. When freezing a large batch, use a cardboard box and lay them flat on their sides or spines down. 

Using the coldest temperature available in your freezer, use a plastic bag to separate your books from other contents, avoiding any contamination. – with reports from Fore Esperanza/Rappler.com

Fore Esperanza is a Rappler intern. She’s taking up English language studies at the Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology.