I know. I'm weird. Several people have told me that. But I am really curious about
"Dust" covers. First - they don't protect a book from dust, since they don't cover the
top of a book when it's on the shelf (maybe we should change the name).

What I am curious about is why most (I guess its most) people want the "dust" cover included and intact. Way back when, the dust cover was just that: a full wrapping on the book that the bookseller removed and threw away before giving the book to the buyer.

Unless you put the book on your coffee table so your guests can admire the fact that the author is a "NY Times Best Selling Author", the "dust" cover seems to serve no purpose AND you still have to dust it!

When you read a hard cover, you have to carefully remove the "dust" cover and put it somewhere safe so you don't mess it up, especially if you want to re-post it. Seems like a waste of time for something that serves no useful purpose and does not accomplish what it's name implies.

Just wondering...

wayne

LOL, Wayne. :)

I think people like them because of the cover design and because it has the blurb with the description.

I like how they look on the shelf as a series, plain and simple. And I don't take them off when I read.

I don't post that many hardcovers but I've only seen the dust jacket RC a few times. And you don't need the dust jacket to post the book.  I post them without a dust jacket.  You just have to turn down the RCS if it doesnt' have one. 

I

I agree with Sarah.  When I have a book I want to keep I like the dust jacket on them, especially in a series.  Usually the cover under them is just plain.  The dust jacket has the illustration for the book and the information about the book. 

1.  Usually the book underneath is rather ugly, dust jackets are prettier.
2.  The jacket has interesting information & book blurbs.
3.  Library spine labels don't stick well to the book fabric.
 

I agree, Wayne...to me, it's just an unneccessary adornment. People talk about the cover being "plain" without the dust cover, but really, if you have a book on your shelf, all you are seeing is the spine, not the cover illustrations anyway, so not sure what that's about. But--to each their own and all that!

Cheryl

Well, I'm a design and illustration nerd, so sometimes I really, really want the pretty pictures. 

Since joining PBS I always keep the dust jacket on when I read. If anything gets on the dust jacket I can still post it for someone who doesn't necessarily need the dust jacket. If the same anything got on the book itself it would be unpostable.

I remove the dust jacket while reading (b/c they slip around) and cover the book with one of those stretchy text book covers.  When finished, I switch the covers back and put the book in my 'to be swapped' pile.

Would paperbacks be apealing if every single one had solid black covers? no picture, no blurb, no nothing?

That's why I like dustjackets.

GREAT IDEA!!!!

Except they should be gray . . . dust colored!

I don't read alot of Hard covered books but if I do, and especially if it is in really good shape, I will take the dust cover off and put it somewhere it won't get crushed, becasue it will get crushed and wrinkled if I keep it on the book.  Then when I repost it, the "I want the dustcover" won't be a problem.

sometimes I really, really want the pretty pictures. +1 I've always felt it's ageist that they only illustrate children's books.  Dust covers are usually as close to illustrations as adult fiction gets.

And occasionally I like to just sit back and admire my shelves full of pretty, pretty books

When I worked in the library, we always took off the dust covers and tossed them on adult books.  Kids books would get the dust cover mylared and taped down.

The labeling system was a heat system so, if done properly, the library labels would stick to the spine. 

And for those of you who, like me, really like the design aspects of books, there is this and this.  Both are excellent!

I read hardbacks with covers remaining on  all the time and don't have any damage on them. However, 14 year old daughter takes hers off while reading book--probably a good idea to avoid damage, but then she may not be able to find it when she is done.

I like the hardcovers that have the pictures on the actual hard cover with the blurbs on the back has anyone seen those they don't make many but they have some.  I thank they should make them all like this and get rid of DJ.  They are usually shiny surfaced so you can just wipe the dust off.