How can I preserve my older, or more delicate, RPG books? My collection includes some older books (from the 1970s-1980s), some of which are in less than stellar condition. They may be paperbacks, have loose bindings, etc.
I would like to preserve them for future enjoyment, but also keep them accessible. My contractor is salivating at the thought of building an expensive, climate-controlled room with each book individually held in a display case. However, that would make the books inaccessible and difficult to enjoy.1
I don't need a way to safeguard the entire collection, just a curated subset of the most valuable or at-risk items.
1 My partner insists there are other reasons not to construct this room. Those concerns are outside the scope of this question.
Best Answer
There is a Wikipedia article on the conservation of books that recommends storage methods and materials
As Trish points out in their excellent, complementary answer if you do not use archival boxes, you make sure that the books are not exposed to UV light that will bleach them out.
Especially if you want to regularly access them, vertical standing storage in polyester bags in a metal shelf against an interior wall in a dry, dark room where you keep the heating down or have AC seems a practical way to go about it.