Stability is most important when choosing a pair of bookends

 One's eyes can marvel at the look of a handsome pair of bookends, but don't forget that a bookend's job one is to provide stability to a line of books.  From the BestReviews article "Best Bookends":

Bookends offer a great deal of support provided they’re designed to be stable. A large, top-heavy bookend won’t offer as much support as a smaller one with a wide base and lower center of gravity. It’s important to make sure the bookend can’t slip. Some come with a slip-resistant bottom for more friction.

 (https://bestreviews.com/best-bookends)

A basic definition of "first edition"

 Often, you will find that book shopperrs concentrate their efforts only on first editions of their topic of interest.  A first editions is more desireable to the collector than later printings of the same book.

... first edition means the first printing of a book. Edition and printing can be used fairly interchangeably in talking about collectible books, especially in regard to modern fiction.

 {https://www.biblio.com/book-collecting/basics/how-to-identify-first-editions/)

Wisdom and booklovers

In The Philoblon, a book by the mediaeval bibliophile Richard de Bury, chapter 15 speaks of the advatages of the love of books.

In this chapter, de Bury again argues that the love of wisdom and the love of books are one and the same. "In books we climb mountains and scan the deepest gulfs of the abyss"

 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Philobiblon)

A basic list of furniture to consider for your home library

 Furniture.com, a furniture store, explains items for shopping for home library furnishings*.

When shopping for home library furniture, most people go straight to bookshelves. While you want plenty of shelving in the right dimensions to store and display your favorite reads, other pieces also make this room a more comfortable place to relax. Our collection can furnish home libraries from top to bottom.

Armchairs and ottomans with bold patterns or leather upholstery add style while creating a cozy spot to read. Students and readers with scholarly interests may prefer a good office chair and sturdy desk. For a place to put an essential reading lamp, consider an accent table.

 *The original article quote includes links to their various products for sale.

(https://www.furniture.com/shop-by-room/home-library)

How to clean non-leather books

 Always respect the 'fragility' of books; they deteriorate over time.. their construction and materials are susceptible to the conditions and handling they are under.  Biblio, a book search engine, provides a list of cleaners; the article, at this time of writing, applies to non-leather books.

A good rule of thumb is this: Surface dirt can always be safely removed, if it’s removed by the least-abrasive means possible. 

 (https://www.biblio.com/book-collecting/care-preservation/cleaning-books/)

The small, yellowish blotches some used books have is called "foxing"

When shopping for used/ rare books, one sometimes comes across a usually old book with small yellow brown spots or blotches on the book's paper.  

The Victorial and Albert Museum of art and design offers considerations on the ownership of a foxed book:

The cost of neglect and poor quality repairs is high. Because books are not usually decorative objects in their own right, and thus not displayed, there is often a resistance to the cost of professional conservation.

Damp conditions in your home library would encourage mold growth, and will cause iron contaminants to rust.

(http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/c/caring-for-your-books-and-papers/)

Ship your books with confidence with these considerations

The UPS website has an informative article on all things book shipping.  Individual books, volume shipments and more valuable books are considered.  Check out their great tips before shipping your own collectibles!

(https://www.ups.com/us/en/services/knowledge-center/article.page?kid=art16c6c695d0c)

Book Club Editions are great for inexpensive reads

Book Club Editions (often specified on the book's jacket) or "Reader's Digest books" are one of the least costly purchases for books, and can be a good read for many collectors.  They also may be used for decorative puposes or to lift a low mattress.

Book collectors will need to know how to identify these books aimed at the general population.  MyWingsBooks, a bookseller, has a webpage with information and pictures to help you see whether the new or used book is one.

(http://mywingsbooks.com/coll-terms/bce_.shtml)

Monetarily, most ex-library (ex--lib) books are not valuable; but they are readable

 Ex-lib books are often discarded from libraries and picked up/ purchased by booksellers for sale.  However, some collectors buy them at low prices, and read them; others use them for research or specialty book collecting.

Over on an eBay community forum "gtb-books", a book scout, comments:

‎02-09-2013

Former library books are seldom worth anything money-wise, unless they are very old, and in very good or better condition.  Otherwise they are just reading copies.  Collectors usually want pristine  firsts [first editions], especially of more recently published works.

(https://community.ebay.com/t5/Archive-Booksellers/Ex-Library-Books/td-p/2738919)

Help your young bookworms take care of books

 Although The Book Bug blog is written to schoolkids, their pair of free bookmarks on taking care of books should work with all reading children.  You can download them at the Teachers Pay Teachers website.

(https://mrsnthebookbug.blogspot.com/2012/02/book-care.html)