Care Of Books and Papers After A Flood
Dry books and papers slowly:
1. Place books on end with leaves separated.
2. When they are partially dry, pile and press books to
keep pages from crumpling.
3. Alternate drying and pressing until books are
thoroughly dry. This helps prevent mildew. Use a fan to
hasten drying.
4. If books and papers are very damp, sprinkle cornstarch
or talcum powder between the leaves to absorb moisture.
Leave powder for several hours and then brush off.
5. When books are nearly dry, apply low heat with an
electric iron. Separate the page to prevent musty odors.
This is a tedious process which you may want to use only
with valuable books.
6. When books are thoroughly dry, close them and use C-
clamps to help them retain their shape.
Even if books and papers appear to have dried
successfully, they may disintegrate rapidly because of
materials in the flood water. Any important documents or
paper should be photocopied as a precautionary measure.