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Unpopular opinion: my book club friend told me to stop dog-earing pages and use sticky tabs instead
She said I was ruining the spine and making the book look beat up. I ignored her for like 3 months, kept folding corners. Then I tried those little Post-it flags on a library copy of "Project Hail Mary" and yeah, she was right. The pages lay flat now and I don't lose my spot. Has anyone else had a book habit someone called out that actually improved things?
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faith_carter7d ago
...and what really got me was reading this article about how book conservators actually prefer dog-earing over sticky tabs because the adhesive can leave residue and attract bugs over time. I used to dog-ear everything until my sister pointed out how my paperbacks look like they went through a washing machine. I switched to sticky tabs for a while but those little flags kept falling off in my bag. Now I just use a bookmark or lay the book face down. Honestly I think the real issue is people get too attached to keeping books pristine when they're meant to be used.
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william_torres7d ago
Funny how that works. People get weird about books like they're artifacts instead of things you actually use. Same thing happens with tools really. My neighbor keeps his grill covered and mint condition but never uses it. Afraid of getting it dirty. Meanwhile I've got a coffee table with ring stains from mugs and it's fine. Dog ears, cracked spines, scribbled notes in margins. That's a lived-in book. Like a worn pair of boots. Shows you actually got something out of it.
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bennett.nora3d ago
Heard an actual bookbinder talk about this once on a podcast. Said dog-earing is actually less damaging long-term than most people think. The paper fibers fold but they don't break like people assume. Meanwhile sticky notes leave adhesive that dries out and can stain pages after a few years. That changed my mind a bit. Ended up splitting the difference myself. I dog-ear paperback pages since they're cheap and meant to be used. Hardcover books I'll use a real bookmark or just remember the page number. The whole pristine book thing feels like collecting shoes you never wear.
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