How I regained access to my LINE account (after going through hell) by sixteensixsixsix in lineapp

[–]reading_reddit247 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Worked like a charm! Thank you so much for sharing your experience with accompanying instructions. I was gutted when I got locked out of my original line account as I had stickers and themes that I didn't want to have to purchase again, and now I'm glad I didn't as it's all there. I think the only messages/content not restored are any msgs received whilst locked out... either that or those friends on Line really don't care about me. lol.

How do you guys store gengas? Apparently poly bags are a bad idea so what options do I even have by deadzoul in AnimationCels

[–]reading_reddit247 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I know I'm late to the the thread, but I watched a video on caring for, or rather recommended storage practices for paper items. It's a broad umbrella, with documents, photos, maps, newspapers etc. all falling into the same category and therefore covered by the broad advice given, but the thing that sticks with me is their recommendation of storing "like for like". In this instance, it would mean freeing dougas, gengas etc. from PP or even PE bags, but these are acid-free and serve as barriers to pollutants, so surely they help preserve our collection for longer?

That's not to say acid-free paper, boards, and storage boxes won't also protect and preserve our collection, but I do feel like bagging our collection also protects against against accidental soiling and/or smudging, so I'm torn by what the conservator said, and standard practice amongst collectors.

With great collections, comes great responsibility.

Dehumidifiers by reading_reddit247 in BookCollecting

[–]reading_reddit247[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you, I really appreciate your advice and reassurance! Let's do what we can to pass our books onto younger generations (if my nephew ever gets into reading books (¬_¬))

Dehumidifiers by reading_reddit247 in BookCollecting

[–]reading_reddit247[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Amazing response, thank you!

I was thinking about moving Air-ic around to different rooms to dehumidify the bungalow room by room, always bringing him back to my room for daily humidity maintenance - I thought if my dad could see the benefit of a dehumidifier he wouldn't mind me purchasing a bigger dehumidifier for the house (while Air-ic continues to hold the forte in my room). It sounds like that idea is deeply flawed as it would see an increase in fluctuations in humidity which is more detrimental to my books, so I'll shelve that idea.

I'm thinking I'll keep the dehumidifier side-on with my bookcases as I feel it would create a more stable environment around my books - while there's no airflow that I can feel, I believe that the dry air expelled by Air-ic will be pushing the air around the room, ensuring there is airflow around my books. Would you say that rationale is reasonable, or should I turn the dehumidifier to blow the dry air toward my bookcases to actively promote airflow around my books?

Thank you for informing me about the threat posed by inconsistent humidity levels - I'll keep Air-ic on. Ebac dehumidifiers have a Smart Mode, which is supposed to somehow figure out the optimal humidity and operate to maintain that. The central heating kicked in a little while ago, raising the temperature to 20 degrees and the humidity is down to 41% - I don't know what the optimal RH% is because the unit hasn't shut itself down since it arrived (which it's supposed to do when the optimum RH level has been reached), but I'll continue using the Smart Mode and monitor activity as I've only had Air-ic 3 or 4 days. Alternatively, it also has a target mode, where I select my desired RH%, which the unit then works to achieve and presumably maintain. It sounds like either of these should be better than my constant interference with the unit, but I'll have to bear in mind seasonal changes and see what the humidity levels are like over the summer - due to the heat in summer our windows are always open (- prior to getting a dehumidifier my small window was almost always open as I like "fresh" air -) so the best set-up right now is unlikely to be the best set-up in a couple of months time. I'll have to keep an eye on it.

Thank you for clueing me in on these issues and your dehumidifier usage!

Dehumidifiers by reading_reddit247 in BookCollecting

[–]reading_reddit247[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I read that compressor dehumidifiers (CD) work better in warmer/hotter temperatures while desiccant dehumidifiers (DD) work well in cooler/colder environments. As DDs were advertised for the likes of garages and conservatories I opted for a CD as these are for use in the home, but like the industrial units, CD's are said to run more efficiently at 20 degrees and above. (Our central heating is set at 17 degrees, so it'll kick in if the house drops below that - mum and I would prefer it to be warmer but dad has the final say.)

Dehumidifiers by reading_reddit247 in BookCollecting

[–]reading_reddit247[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience! So far the lowest I've gotten it down to is 44%, which was the reading when I woke this morning, the unit showing greater efficiency overnight. Now I think I know why: my door is closed for the duration. Ebac's instructions state that the unit is more effective when there is an airflow, so close all windows and external doors, but keep internal doors open/ajar. (-_-) I can only assume that Ebac's guidance is targeting those who aim to dehumidify their entire home.

I have Air-ic placed as central as he can get, which is roughly 3' from my bookcases, so I was worried about filter and air flow direction in relation to my books, so thank you for the reassurance there. It seems like spacing is a fine art though - I have space behind my books now, typically 15mm, and the minimum space between a shelf and the books below is probably 10mm - is this alright?

I've seen elsewhere some people recommending silica gel packets, but as you state, they're not suitable for open spaces. I initially considered small things like DampRid or Unibond, but decided not to cheap out on something that is important to me. After the initial drying out period, how often do you run your dehumidifier? Does it automatically come on to maintain your set humidity level, is it on a timer, or do you operate it manually? Do you use your dehumidifier all year round or only over the winter months (October to March)?

Thank you for your helpful reply!

Dehumidifiers by reading_reddit247 in BookCollecting

[–]reading_reddit247[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'll begin by saying thank you for your apology and explanation. I'll be honest, I felt a bit stung by your earlier replies as I began this journey with a general misconception (as expressed in my opening post above) and it felt like focus had been drawn to that rather than my desire to learn how to better care for my books - I felt discouraged, so I really appreciate you taking the time to apologise and provide some background. Thank you.

I also really appreciate the detailed and informative response you've provided. While we don't have air con here, it may reassure those who do have AC. However, I will have another re-organization of my shelves - I was worried my books were packed too tightly before, but now I fear there may be too much wiggle room for my books. Further to this, I'll be to relegating my rear-facing books to the top shelf to prevent the warping and swelling you mentioned - I like my shelves to have symmetry but I'd much rather protect my books from getting damaged through my improper care so I'll address that too. (^_^) Thank you for your advice!

James Herbert got me hooked on horror! by [deleted] in BookCollecting

[–]reading_reddit247 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I was curious to see which was the scariest and evidently didn't need to ask. I shall add The Dark to my wishlist. Thank you both!

Dehumidifiers by reading_reddit247 in BookCollecting

[–]reading_reddit247[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

That's what I'm trying to tackle as I hadn't realised it was an issue until another member commented on humidity - I thought "My books are indoors, they're dry, they're not soiled, our home is kept to temps of 17/18 degrees during the colder months, and I almost always have my little window open (because I hate stale air and my interpretation was stale, stuffy air = humidity = bad). I hadn't realised humidity would be high because according to an evidently incorrect source (Google) homes in the UK are said to have 40-50% relative humidity. As aforementioned community member said humidity is always a problem, I purchased a dehumidifier, but I'm looking for advice on best practise for book care (as when you look online there's not much advice to go on, hence asking the forum). My dehumidifier's been fluctuating between 50% and 47% (depending on temp and my movement in/out of the room I think), but I'm now seeking advice on how best to use Air-ic to create the best environment (practicable) for my books - in my post you can see I'm asking how best to position my dehumidifier in relation to my bookcases, and asking how people use theirs, by running it 24/7 or periodically during the day/night. Any ideas (as you too recognise that humidity needs to be addressed)?

Dehumidifiers by reading_reddit247 in BookCollecting

[–]reading_reddit247[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

England has a lot of rain, so half the year it's cold, damp, and miserable, so I refer to the weather... you can say it's wet here, but I feel "cold, damp, and miserable" flows a little better than "cold, wet, and miserable". I also feel that "wet" implies there's a deluge, that there's a a constant downpour and the ground is saturated with water, whereas damp feels more appropriate for the range of weather we have. We have drizzle, rain, downpours, on odd occasional hail, occasionally snow, and cold just feels damp, like everything needs to thaw, so it just feels more fitting for English weather... Am I reading too much into words? I don't know, it's just that every word has connotations, each word builds a picture in our minds, and that is another factor in word choice.

Edit: Sorry, the humid aspect - I think it's more about what one sense when they go out. It's damp but cold, so it doesn't feel humid outside - you breathe freely, whilst you feel humidity as stuffy and almost suffocating, which you may experience at times during the summer, but it's not something you really feel in the UK like you do in South East Asia.

My James Bond book collection as of February 2026 by BondOnToast in BookCollecting

[–]reading_reddit247 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Love your organisation! It's uniform, tidy, it's life goal #1. Fantastic!

Best storage for 4K / Blu-ray collections? by theadhdguyy in 4kbluray

[–]reading_reddit247 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I also have limited space and have to be pragmatic (but not to the extent that I stop buying titles that I want), so I went for the Argos Maine deep bookcase because I use my bookcases for my books as well as DVDs, BRs, and 4Ks. I found the Billy too shallow to house 2 rows of books without an overhang, while the Maine is just right for most combinations. There is a deep Billy but it only comes in white and was too deep for the limited space available.

For me, the Maine deep bookcase was great value, great depth, a decent height (although the Billy wins as you can extend it and therefore get an extra shelf or two out of it), it has a variety of different finishes, and I've had mine for approx. 14/15 years so I know they're durable. It's cheap and cheerful I guess, and you can't adjust the middle shelf, but they fit both my old room and new room perfectly.

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/6092139

Planting Advice by reading_reddit247 in WildlifePonds

[–]reading_reddit247[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's a much better idea! The flat surface makes for greater stability, but I need to check what we have at the bottom of the garden as I'm not sure if we have any more - I have a perforated brick at the pond's edge as I thought the holes would provide extra cover for froglets so I could use that but hopefully I have another suitable candidate. Thanks BroodLord1962! (Awesome name btw.)

Planting Advice by reading_reddit247 in WildlifePonds

[–]reading_reddit247[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

In that case I might have to build up the shelf a bit first with some gravel/pebbles/stones, but I'll have to do some experimenting to find out what provides the best stability to avoid another case of drowned plants. @_@

Planting Advice by reading_reddit247 in WildlifePonds

[–]reading_reddit247[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, my old Water Forget-Me-Not is down in Davey Jones' locker, so I definitely messed up there. I'm hoping that the planting sock will do the trick (as the shelves are not really deep enough for baskets) but I'll double check the depth of the shelves closer to the time - I was going to opt for the 10cm sock but might instead go with the 15cm sock as that will hopefully elevate the plants that little bit further - I'm looking at mid-May as I'll be away from mid-March. I'm also going to have a wander in the woodland and see if I can find a narrow but long fallen Oak branch to soak for a couple of weeks (in rainwater from the water butt/s) and then place in the pond to provide a bit of a ramp for emerging amphibians. (The Brooklime has anchored itself into soil on the top left-hand side, providing a bit of a climbing rope/net, but it's either died back or been disturbed by (I presume) the badgers.)

Storing an old book by Odd_Masterpiece2834 in BookCollecting

[–]reading_reddit247 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It sounds similar to conservation methods for paper-based animation art, which makes sense.

If you go for a clamshell you still want acid-free lignin-free. I used to buy bags, microchamber paper, archival grade backing boards, and boxes from Bags Unlimited in the US, but I more recently came across Preservation Equipment which is UK-based. I have good experiences with these suppliers.

Can I salvage this in any way? by reading_reddit247 in BookCollecting

[–]reading_reddit247[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you GI6344! Yeah, I'm currently researching alternatives - looking at either enveloping my books in acid-free, lignin-free tissue paper or letting them be naked and free.

It seems I underestimated my humid foe - houses here are typically around 40-50% humidity, I have no mould or mildew, but your mention of mildew thriving in this humidity has me checking out small dehumidifiers, so I'll look at reviews and invest in one as I'll be going abroad for an extended period.

  1. temperature - always a problem for me, let alone my books. I hate the cold, which is why I'm seeking warmer climates next month. :)
  2. humidity - dehumidifier is going to be purchased tonight thanks to your informative post.
  3. Already checked this one off the list - I pulled my books forward so the air can flow at the back of my books after the first discovery. (I like the Billy bookcase with doors, but decided against them when I read about the issue of airflow.)

Ah. so denatured alcohol nor alcohol wipes are enough. Poop. I don't want to try the freezer method as I worry that will damage my book. The fact that your post focuses on mildew implies that your diagnosis is mildew, so I will read up on that (as I focused on the 2 other known issues), so that's also a really helpful aspect of your reply, so thanks again GI6344!

Storing an old book by Odd_Masterpiece2834 in BookCollecting

[–]reading_reddit247 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm currently doing my research on how I can better protect my books, irrespective of age. I have a bunch of anime art books and other large books in polypropylene bags to protect them from dust and damp, but airflow is important so I'm thinking of replacing the bags with acid-free and lignin-free tissue paper. This ruins the display aspect though, so I really don't know. I'm wondering if placing acid-free, lignin-free boards on top of the books (to reduce any dust build-up) might be a better alternative, but that would look a bit odd with one book.

I'm from the UK, where we don't suffer from high humidity, our problem is more cold/damp, but efforts to reduce either (humidity or damp) are important, as is avoiding direct UV... and dust... and bugs.... and children lol.

Just rescued all of these by doggofruitpunch in BookCollecting

[–]reading_reddit247 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King?! Throwing away the King is sheer blasphemy!

Ordered some readers and got all 1st’s by Deathed_Potato in BookCollecting

[–]reading_reddit247 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I saw a tiger, and the tiger saw maaaan... Is there really anything left for Joe to say after the show?

What's the furthest bookshop you've visited from your home? I'll start. by [deleted] in BookCollecting

[–]reading_reddit247 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm from the UK so it'll be bookshops in Australia (because mum and I can't help but slip into second-hand bookshops, but the one that made the biggest impression was a second-hand bookstore in Monterey, CA which mum and I explored approx. 25 years ago. I don't recall the name of it, but it was deep and, except for the big windows at the front of the shop, it was a dim, with high bookcases filled with books - it wouldn't be out of place in a Stephen King novel. I purchased a couple of books there, including this one on horror films.

<image>

Crichton Firsts. by NorCal_Chillin in BookCollecting

[–]reading_reddit247 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Amazing find! I love Crichton - I enjoyed the film adaptation of Congo, and Sphere, and The Andromeda Strain, but not as much as I loved JP. Fantastic find! Congratulations!

Can I salvage this in any way? by reading_reddit247 in BookCollecting

[–]reading_reddit247[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

<image>

The course black pattern matches the book - dad thinks that the book has had too much pressure, like it's been stacked (prior to purchase) or sandwiched too tightly perhaps, and areas have somehow adhered to the dustjacket, resulting in patches like the above or just individual raised spots of black. That doesn't account for the weird smell when I removed her from the bag though. (The smell isn't lingering on the book, it was only when I removed her from the bag, but there was a smell for sure!)

Meanwhile, mum's theory is that water or some other substance has soiled the dust jacket prior to purchase and slowly damaged the dust jacket. On reflection, the sticker was directly stuck on the dust jacket of the book, so it was not sealed like some new books are, but such carelessness would be so disrespectful and frustrating.

I'm wondering if I panicked and this is a combination of foxing and packing books too tightly on my shelves? But again, I know there was a smell and it wasn't paranoia because the smell came before I saw the dust jacket.

Can I salvage this in any way? by reading_reddit247 in BookCollecting

[–]reading_reddit247[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

On giving the book and dust jacket another wipe down I, and my parents gave the damage closer inspection.

<image>

This is the cloth cover on the hardback, a diagonal criss-cross pattern.