[Runscott]

I have a group of 1800's Spalding and Reach Baseball Guides that have fragile covers and bindings. I want to be able to read them (interiors are okay), but it's disturbing to see flakes of paper on my coffee table each time I do so.

Any thoughts on how to safely store/handle? Even taking them in and out of my bookcase is a small problem. I'm leaning toward having them turned into hardbacks, using the original covers like they do in libraries, and for the coverless ones, creating faux covers and doing the same (turning into hardbacks). Their condition is not such that it would matter, and I don't plan on re-selling them.

Thoughts?