Dust jackets on or off? I flip flopped after 8 years of collecting

I used to strip every dust jacket off before shelving, thought they just got torn and in the way. Then I picked up a 1972 sci-fi paperback at a garage sale in Akron where the jacket art was half the reason I bought it, some wild spaceship scene with a guy holding a laser spoon. Now I leave them on for anything pre-1980, but take them off for modern stuff since the glossy covers feel like ads. Am I being inconsistent or does the era of the book actually change what's the right call? Has anyone else switched their stance on this and regretted it either way?

1 comments

1 Comment

robertsmith4h ago

The whole "glossy covers feel like ads" thing hit me hard, that's exactly why I stopped keeping them on for new books too. But the pre-1980 rule you got, is that mostly about the art being actually painted and cool, or is it more about the paper quality being different? Like, those old jackets have that matte feel and they yellow in a way that looks good, but the new ones just glare at you. Also, do you ever worry about the dust jackets slipping off when you pull the book out, or are those older ones snug enough to stay put? I've been burned by a few that just slide right off and hit the floor.