Just curious whether or not people prefer to receive former library books with or without the plastic "slipcover" that they come in?  I have been carefully removing them from ex-library books I've bought (mainly because I don't like them on my own books), but if people would rather receive them w/the plastic on, I'll leave it.  (I do often use the plastic sleeve as part of the wrapping to help protect the book - when you remove it, you can actually wrap the whole book in it).

The technical term for that plastic cover over the dustjacket is a mylar cover (I worked in the library in college getting books ready to go out on the shelves).

I wouldn't go thru the trouble to remove it for people, I'd let them decide if they want to remove it or not.  In the library I worked in, we used mylar covers on all the children's books but dustjackets on the adult books were removed entirely.

Those mylar covers are great for protecting the dustjacket.

I say leave them on if you are going to send them out and not keep them for yourself..  Sounds like a lot of work to me, maybe because i am clumsy and would probably tear a cover. If they want them off they will take care of it i think. just my opinion :)

i actually hate dust covers, i take them off when i read a book. the ones from the library are ok because they are taped so they dont move when u read. idk why they cant make more hardbacks with the pictures printed on the books.

I love the mylar covers. I buy them for some of my own books. Anyone that is interested in them check out this link. They sell all different kinds of bookcovers :)

http://www.demco.com/webprd_demco/product_index/SUP_BMP_010.htm

I certainly don't mind the mylar.

Thanks for all the responses.  I'll stop removing the mylar - and save myself some work - Hooray!!!

Eve

Yippee!!!  I like the mylar, and have bought some to add to the hardcovers in my own personal collection.

Tammy, my DH puts those mylar covers on some of the older, out-of-print hardcovers in his keeper collection.  He thinks they really help protect the books.

I leave them on my library books -- they help protect the book cover.   I would definitely prefer to receive them on a library book rather than have them removed.

Glad the link was helpful :) Kristen I agree. They can really help keep an older book in great shape.

Oh, yes, do keep them on. They really do help to protect the dust jacket. Especially if it is a children's book. I think it truely saves those ones!

AHHH the lovely Demco link, and if you spend over $100 at Demco they send you lovely gifts!  Book shaped paperclips, a pen/pencil desk set, a clock and these nifty craft caddies.

I prefer the mylar on the books as it protects them enroute.

I also suggest getting the covers on the continuos roll in the 10inch height since that covers most hardcover dust jackets no matter the thickness. 

I prefer to receive library books with the mylar cover still intact.  I hate hardback books with solid color blank covers.

I prefer to get the books with the mylar covering. A lot of the books I have come from libraries.

I like the way it feels. I think it keeps the book nicer. I think if people do not want the cover on they will take it off.

Happily posting books to my bookshelf.!

Plus one for the Mylar covers !

I have a lot of vintage hardcovers with worn dustcovers so I plan to buy the Mylar covers to protect them.

It amazes me that people have RC's that state NO-ex-library books.

Libraries care about making the book survive the treatment of its patrons.   That's hard enough I don't blame them for not thinking beyond that.

And it depends on the library--a research library/rare books library will be a lot more concerned.  A public library's goal is to have folks read.  And I wouldn't want them to spend my tax money making a random mass-published book survive forever.  Good enough for the time it will be in the library collection is fine.

I tend to pull the covers off my ex-library.  I find most people get snitty about ex-library books (not here as much) and it looks less like a library book w/o the plastic cover.

I also put the plastic covers on my own hardbacks to keep the DJs from getting ripped.  

In response to the library book tape issue,  I am surprised they do not use McNaughtons (basically a book hire company).  My library buys several copies of a popular books and then hires more from McNghts. They then can return the books without having to sell them off or damage the book. They come with glued in pockets in the front of the book that we stamp and are removable. All are covered with mylar and any stickers are removed with the cover.

As for the books bought, our paperbacks are bought to be kept at the library and not sold at a future date, if they think the book is going to be popular they figure it will be destroyed by love in several months of hard use.  We tape all our paperback spines with two inch acid free book tape. This tape does not yellow over time and helps stops the spine from breaking. The older tape was not like this and did yellow since I am the one who orders those supplies I make sure the books will last for a long time.  Alot of librarys do buy for the long haul but the quality of paperbacks these days is poor so extra steps must be taken. And no glue that can be peeled off afterwards is strong enough to stand up to the daily hell of being a library book. The things people do to these books amazes me still. Also they do not want people removing the stickers from the books while they are borrowed some times this is the only way we can tell it is a library book from our system (those evil barcode removers need to be spanked), we get alot of people removing the barcodes from books so they think we cannot prove the book belongs to the library. *sighs*

"PS I checked out the DEMCO site as recommended by Tammy B....HELP ...so many types and sizes of book covers...any suggestions?" 

I thought I saw one size that was adjustable? You folded over the excess & the flaps on the back would just overlap to take up the excess.