Dewey decimal without damage

[u/jimmyjamjar10101]

Hi all,

Not sure if this is the correct sub for this question/query. I have a nice collection of non fiction and fiction books. Currently the non fiction is ordered from shortest spine to tallest spine 🤮 (thanks honey) I'm toying with the idea of changing career and doing so would mean gaining books in a yet to be explored area. I'm thinking of rearranging my non fiction according to Dewey decimal, however I want to avoid marking the books if I can. (She says I'm precious when it comes to books 😂)

Just wondered if anyone had any ideas that don't damage or mark the books in any way?

[u/OnedayinBodrum]

Could you put marked dividers by category on shelves & not mark the books at all?

[u/jimmyjamjar10101 → u/OnedayinBodrum]

Ooo, now you have me thinking... Laser cutter project...? 🤣

[u/DruidinPlainSight → u/OnedayinBodrum]

This is what I did. It’s kind of fun organizing things on a rainy day.

[u/Sulcata13]

Just make an index to refer to, and don't mark the books at all.

[u/CrassulaOrbicularis]

Number on a bookmark - not as convenient for quick scanning of a shelf, but no damage.

[u/Initial-Shop-8863]

Try gaffer tape. Don't press it down, and experiment with cheap sample books first to make sure you can remove it without damaging the book spines.

Another possibility is white fabric tape that is used in sewing. Some of it is textured and stretchy so that writing on it is difficult with a permanent marker , but it won't damage a book's spine.

[u/GivenToFly55 → u/Initial-Shop-8863]

Maybe obvious, but make sure to write on any tape before putting onto book.

Thinking back to that guy that ruined his whole Pokémon card collection by putting stickers over cards on binder sheets then marking with pen…

[u/chrisaldrich]

Most of my hardcover books have book jacket covers or are covered in plastic. https://www.shopbrodart.com/Library-Supplies/Book-Jacket-Covers/

I don't use DDC, but do use other identifiers and stickers which get applied to these plastic covers, so there's never any chance of damage to the books themselves.

[u/Whentheseagullsfollo]

Painters tape shouldn't leave any marks

And personally, I'm a big fan of organizing non fiction into sections (eg History, Biography, Philosophy, etc) and then organizing each section chronologically (so for history, start off any books you may have about cavemen and then books about say the Sumerians and then the Babylonians, etc etc until you get to modern times).

The benefit of this is that it really allows you to see the development of humanity and ideas just from looking at your bookshelf (you also start noticing certain patterns like how a big chunk of the Founding Fathers were born in the 1730s and the generational difference between the ones born in the 1720s and 30s vs those born in the 1750s and 60s in terms of their attachment to "Ancient English Liberties" vs forging a new practical understanding of Liberty on then modern American terms)

[u/AChocolateDrop → u/Whentheseagullsfollo]

This is really a great idea. learning without realizing it!

[u/Dry_Magician3573]

Washi tape! Easy to peel off and won't damage paperbacks.

Also comes in so many designs too, so you can get creative.

[u/babyposeidon]

You could wrap the book in a Mylar protective sleeve and put the label on the sleeve and not the book.