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Let's say that a Certain Someone left a book out in the rain. . . .


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And then it poured and poured all night long - southern thunderstorm style.

 

And that Certain Someone brought the book inside and it. was. soaked.

 

All the way through.

 

And it was a library book. :glare:

 

What would you do to save this book?

 

We've got it upstairs, with paper towels between each page. It's a Magic Tree House paperback, so the pages are thin. I just really, really don't want to have to pay for this book (although the Certain Someone would take it out of their allowance).

 

Ideas?

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I've found, in the past, that if I purchase the replacement book and bring it in with the damaged book, they accept the replacement. This has only worked with paperbacks, though. Can't hurt to try and I bet what you pay for the book at the store is going to be less than what the library would charge.

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I've found, in the past, that if I purchase the replacement book and bring it in with the damaged book, they accept the replacement. This has only worked with paperbacks, though. Can't hurt to try and I bet what you pay for the book at the store is going to be less than what the library would charge.

 

I agree!

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Once my dd was reading a book in the bathtub (!) and I didn't know it. Of course, the book slipped, fell into the tub, and the bottom 1/3 of the pages got wet. She didn't tell me, and the book got returned. Imagine my surprise when I got a bill from the library for a damaged book. It was about $20 because it was a hardback. When I asked at the library, they showed me the damaged book and only then did dd 'fess up. She just didn't think it was that bad! I required my dd to pay for the book and I instituted a no books in the bathtub rule. She did get to keep the damaged book and has read it several times since then, so not all was lost.

 

LauraD in MN

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I've found, in the past, that if I purchase the replacement book and bring it in with the damaged book, they accept the replacement. This has only worked with paperbacks, though. Can't hurt to try and I bet what you pay for the book at the store is going to be less than what the library would charge.

 

My library is okay with this as long as it is the exact ISBN. I bought a hardback -- same exact edition -- of a paperback that warped a little from shower humidity, and they would not accept it as a replacement.

 

They still charge a small service fee for cataloging it.

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Let it dry completely - or it will smell.

 

Then, put it beween 2 smooth flat boards and then into a vice grip as tight as you can make it. Leave it there for a week - turning it to different spots if most of it isn't getting squeezed at once. I've done this successfully more than once.

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...I have done that only when the book is still wet. That way the pages dry flat. You have to squeeze it very hard for this to work.

 

My equivalent has been to put it on our flat tile hearth, with a clipboard or other very flat particle board on top of it, and add a big pile of books on top of that. It does take a while for the book to dry, but it dries into an ironed-flat position. This works well with paperbacks but not with hardcover books. Uh, don't ask me how I know. I just do.:lol:

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The Certain Someone would have to pay for the book. Unfortunately, books soaked through usually can't be saved.

As a side note, we checked out a book that was slightly water damaged and upon returning it were told we would have to pay for the damage. After explaining that we had checked it out that way, the librarian looked at us dubiously and said she'd let it go this time. Huh. My little ones aren't allowed to check out any questionably conditioned books any more.

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Have you tried a hair dryer on it yet? I agree with the others - don't think it will be good enough to send back to the library, but at least you can save it enough to keep in your own library.

 

I agree also - get the same book and bring it into the library - just keep the receipt - if they won't let you give them the replacement book, you can always bring it back.

 

And I would totally take this out of the kid's allowance. That's fair.

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