[Quiet Man Cometh]

One would think a hard cover would be easier to snap. At least paper backs have some ability to absorb damage. Never beaten up a hard cover before though, so I can't really say. I imagine I've launched a paperback or two across rooms but I can't recall specifically what they might have been.

[Feythfull]

I like to have my books looking perfact! I made a little sack for them so they wouldn't get tattered in my bag. Though i didn't use it on my poor last book I got out of the library. the poor book was perfect when i got it but the corner was split and the edges tattered.

[Echo-chan713]

What panics me on books are the staines and major rips in books ESPECIALLY Manga I can be a perfectionist to a point. Fold a tiny part of the page isn't a problem for me but half of the page freaks me out and to have those permanent crease make me want to cry.

for reading books the crease down the spine is alright as long as that part isn't falling apart and pages start to fall out of it. just for me no major stains and no major rips or tears in it. Minor rips are easy as invisible tape and a tiny dot of water fr example isn't a problem just blot the dry towel on the spot and its done but blood, paint, marker, I freak out then I would try to save it by using white out.

[Holly]

I'm not extremely picky with regular books.
But I do try to preserve them as much as possible.

I am picky when it comes to my manga.
Which is why nobody else is allowed to touch them.

[Echo-chan713]

For me when someone wants to borrow my manga, I puve them expectaions on how it should be treated such as how to open the book do it like an 180 degree open not 270 and DEFINITELY NOT 360 degrees, 180 or less.

[Quiet Man Cometh]

I don't usually loan my books out often but the odd time I do I don't usualy make a point of saying to keep it in good shape. I generally expect people to do that anyway because it's someone else's book! I loaned a copy of a novel to a classmate once because he couldn't find a copy for his paper he wanted to write. It came back with a wee bit more wear on the spine and I did cringe a bit but it wasn't serious. No pages are falling out and the book is still rectangular in shape.

What really gets to me is books opened to far that one can see the glue holding the pages to the spine. I'd prefer a trashed cover over pages possibly falling out!

[Suzerain of Sheol]

Kind of a reverse of the above, a friend in highschool lent me a copy of Time of Twins (Dragonlance) that was absolutely decrepit, and he had the nerve to get offended when I gave it back to him duct-taped back together. The thing feel apart on me while I was reading it! :p

[Quiet Man Cometh]

Heh. I don't like to use anything on my books though I did put a small piece of tape on the inside cover of a book that I'm reading now because it picked up a tear in the back cover. Not sure how that happened but it probably occured in transit in my rather pliable carry-on bag.

[johnny]

If I borrow a book, of course I take care of it to the point of it frankly being difficult to read - I try not to crease the spine, fold the corners, handle it with wet hands, etc.

But my own books? I damage the hell out of them, because they're mine and I actually like the look of a well-worn paperback. I had to re-glue my copy of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone because it was falling apart, and several other favorite books don't fare much better. I also have a habit of folding corners instead of using bookmarks, and setting books face-down and open on tables.

I love books incredibly, and I feel that a worn and somewhat damaged book is - from my own experience, as the only books that appear damaged in my bookshelf are the ones I've read over, and over, and over again - a well-loved one.

[Poggio]

Heh... my manga does not last around me. I use it for drawing reference so if there is an image that I like and need I will rip it out so that I can lay it on a flat surface. This is why websites like manga fox were a god send to me.

[Quiet Man Cometh]

Actually thinking about it Sheol, Duct tape would annoy me too. I always use clear tape when I need to repair things. I still like to be able to look at a book, not matter the shape. Packing tape works nicely, even if it's a titch frustrating to deal with at times. ;)

[Azrael]

I hate hate hate getting mine all bent up, but I don't like, freak out if I do. I groan or whatever when I accidentally bend the cover or a page, but I never purposefully fold it or anything like that. It's more because they're easier to keep on a shelf if they're in good condition more than anything. >3<'

I work at Office Depot and sometimes people will bring in a book and have it bound, but we have to cut off the spine, first. I won't do it, I make someone else do it cause it makes me cringe. XD

[Quiet Man Cometh]

Office Depot rebinds books?

[Azrael]

Nah, not really. Spiral binding. People usually come in with music or cooking books and have us spiral bind them, but we gotta cut off the spine first.

[Quiet Man Cometh]

Ah. Right. Makes sense actually, so that they lie flat. I like music sheets for that reason.

[Echo-chan713]

I wouldn't stand it either Azrael, I would cry but for me if the spine is in such a bad condition that it needs to be spiral-bound then it reminds me of a transplant that it would help the book. But if the book is super new and they want it spiral-bound then I would let someone else do it