Risks of Storing Library Temporarily in a Garage?

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Risks of Storing Library Temporarily in a Garage?

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1olympicmtns
jan 4, 2018, 10:47 pm

I live in Seattle. My wife and I recently purchased a 1950's mid-century modern home. My photobook collection is about 800 books large. Currently the books are in bankers boxes. While we work on renovating the room in which the books will eventually reside, I am planning on storing the books in the garage. I will place the bankers boxes on shelves (steel frame with particle board shelves rated for 800 lbs each). The garage is not drafty, but it's not temp controlled either. I will need to store them for almost 3 months. Seattle winters are typically mid-40's with rain about 5 days a week.

What are the risks and how should how I best mitigate those risks?

Thanks!

2Neverwithoutabook
jan 4, 2018, 11:08 pm

One of the biggest risks I ran into when storing books, whether a garage or a storage facility, was mice. If they can get to the books, they will destroy them in the process of making nests. I would make sure there is something in the garage to deal with them before they get to your books. I'm not familiar with your area, but I would think humidity would be a factor with that much rain. Possibly some kind of silica packets packed in with the books?

3MsMixte
jan 4, 2018, 11:19 pm

Is the garage dry? As long as you don't have too much moisture in the air you should be all right. For reference, I lived in Ballard, the East Hill of Kent, and Renton/Maple Valley.

4PhaedraB
jan 5, 2018, 12:11 am

I had books in cardboard boxes in a storage locker in North Carolina for more than a year and in a storage locker in southern Oregon for three years. The only problems I had were a leaky roof and seepage from the concrete. If you've got them off the floor and your roof doesn't leak, three months should be fine.

You can deal with mice by using plastic totes instead of cardboard boxes. Or it might be cheaper to get a cat for the garage.

5shikari
Bewerkt: jan 6, 2018, 1:03 pm

Make sure the boxes are sealed - taping them shut should protect them from dust and environmental damage (I'm thinking mildew). But more important is to make sure the boxes are raised above the concrete, if you're not certain the whole is damp-proofed. Can you use shelving? Best not to pile them up too many layers deep either.

6PhaedraB
jan 6, 2018, 1:41 pm

Also, if you are stacking the boxes (as opposed to shelving) pack the books flat in the box, not on edge. I would also suggest that you try to pack them right up to the top of the box, and fill in any negative space with packing material. I used crumpled plastic bags which worked pretty well. Don't use newspaper, though. The ink can transfer to the books.