how do you preserve old falling apart strategy guides?

[greedostick]

I could use some advice on repairing my old Final Fantasy VII Versus guide book I got for Christmas many years ago. It's showing age and the first page finally fell out. The very first one actually. I have old guides from the nes days I taped the binding together and eventually the whole book looked like it was laminated. But seeing as how I really like this guide I want to do it right if I can. It's still in great condition other than the first page coming loose. But I know as I am playing through Final Fantasy VII again that I am probably doing more damage.

[Gameguy]

I wouldn't tape any guide as the adhesive in most tapes would eventually damage it due to the acid content. Just be careful when handling it, the real way to fix it properly would be to get it rebound but it's more expensive than the book is worth.

[Borman]

Ask your local library if they have anyone specializing in repairs. A lot of us librarians have training in repairing, but for the more extreme cases, especially if damage has already been done like you had with the tape, experts or more experiences people are best. The key is prevention before repair.

[sparf]

There are several adhesives, acid-free and archival safe, which can be of use if you are VERY CAREFUL and understand that what you're doing is a stopgap. Rubber cement is a go-to for me when the item isn't valuable enough to to to a lot of expense to repair, but I want to use something that's acid-free and will do the job. It does an adequate job if properly and carefully applied, but again, C-A-R-E-F-U-L-L-Y.

For example, if my Earthbound guide started coming apart, I would consider having professional help. If my NES Game Atlas came apart (as my first one did. Broke down into constituent pages), I'd do the rubber cement.

[greedostick]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I will look into the library and the rubber cement as a last resort. If I knew when I was 16 that thing would fall apart 17 years down the road I would have done something. Unfortunately you don't think about these things when you're younger.

[xelement5x]

The bindings on a lot of strategy guides is rather poor since they were designed to be produced cheaply to cash in on a specific game. Even the hardbound ones aren't that great in my opinion. I really can't tell much of a difference as long as they're still together, but my wife is a librarian and complains about crappy bindings in guides and other stuff.