I have an infestation. How can I get rid of bugs in my books?

Identify the bug if possible (trap one with sticky pest strips) and try to answer the following questions that a professional will ask you:

1. Is the insect already dead or alive and how many insects are there?
2. How many books are affected and with what kind of damage?
3. Have you seen insects like these elsewhere in your home?
4. Where have the books been stored and are they damp or moldy?
5. How valuable and old are the books?

Isolate the affected books by placing them in a tightly sealed plastic bag. Seek assistance from an entomologist. A local university or state extension service should be able to put you in touch with one. Fumigation must be performed by professionals under controlled conditions. Non-chemical preventive measures against insects include:

1. Seal entry points including windows, doors and put filters on vents.
2. Keep room temperatures and humidity levels low (insects need water, too).
3. Keep the environment clean and dusted, and don't store books near food or rubbish, etc.

Dessicant dusts like diatomaceous earth or silica, can be used around the perimeters of a room, but will not be effective for insects with a winged portion of the life cycle.

How can I preserve my newspaper clippings?

Newspaper is made from wood fibers and it will turn dark and brittle very quickly, particularly when exposed to light. Although it can be chemically treated to slow down further deterioration, many of the treatments will also darken the paper. Newspaper will damage other paper or photographic materials with which they are stored if the other items are not protected from them.

The only way to preserve the original is to store them properly:

1. Place clipping in a polyester film folder with a sheet of alkaline buffered paper behind it.
2. Put the polyester folders in file folders and boxes of high-quality acid-free, alkaline buffered materials.
3. Store in a cool and dry location, such as a closet in an air-conditioned room.

The leather on my books is worn and scuffed. Should I oil my leather books?

Leather dressings were at one time thought to be useful in extending the life of leather bindings. Experience has shown, however, that the benefit is primarily cosmetic and that inexpert use of leather dressing does more harm than good. Studies have shown that leather dressing can cause the leather to dry out over time. Leather may become stiffer, accompanied by darkening or surface staining. If too much dressing is applied too frequently, the surface of the leather may become sticky and attract dust and the oil stains and deteriorates the paper.

Consolidants like Klucel G (food-grade) can be applied by book conservators to bind dry rotted leather and keep it from offsetting onto other books or textblocks. For handling purposes, polyester film jackets can be made for books.

Article from the Preservation Directorate: Library of Congress