The correct answer is Yes, “always and forever”.
Actually, the answer to this question is entirely up to you—I believe every book is worth fixing, but that might be why I have this job and I love books. For you there are some reasons where fixing your book might be a great idea.
The first, does your book have sentimental value, has your book been passed down for many generations?
This copy of Little Women had been passed down through several women, from a mother to daughter, then from an aunt to a niece, then again from a mother to daughter, and yet again from mother to daughter. For four generations, these women have shared and enjoyed this book. See another 1st edition of Little Women we have worked on.
Or it could be a beloved story you remember your mother or father reading to you at night.
Or it could be a family Bible that crossed the plains and that has your family tree inscribed within it’s pages.
But, does sentimental value equal dollar value? This is again, entirely up to you.
Second, is your book rare or a first edition?
If your book falls under this category, but is in poor condition, I would say most definitely, it’s worth the repair. Either for the historical value or the dollar value (should you decide to sell it after it’s repaired). Did your book belong to someone famous, is their signature to be found inside its pages? If so, I would definitely recommend getting it repaired, books like these are time markers, with them we are able to time travel, back to an age or time when they were first made and connect to the people that owned them.
Third, is your book a book?
Ok, so here our bias is showing. Books are wonderful containers of knowledge, if you need to learn something about anything you can learn it from a book! At the turn of the 21st century many people believed books would become unused relics, and that we would only have digital books to be read on phones, tablets, or computers. Luckily, bibliophiles have banded together and books are no longer endangered species, and are in fact still “bred in captivity” or I mean, made in binderies. But for those books that have been around for awhile and need some tender loving care, then we can help you answer the question, Yes, my book is worth being repaired!
To be fair we discuss some situations in which book conservation or repair is not the best option. You can learn more as we discuss, “When is it not worth fixing a book?”.