Book Condition Guide

September 28 2025 , by Arwen Mitchell , 2 min reading time

Question: What kind of condition are Libertine books in?

All Libertine books are carefully selected and inspected.  We look for quality inside and out, with particular attention to design and vintage, though the overall quality of the book and its usefulness in living is our main focus.  Libertine books are treasures, to be looked at, read, and proudly displayed in any way you choose.

We assess condition a little differently.  All books are, at minimum, in good condition unless otherwise noted.  (Exceptions are beautiful/interesting/notable books with flaws or damage - see Extra Life, below!) We call this Libertine Quality, which means:
-The binding is crease-free
-Edges have minimal wear
-Little-to-no bending of corners (cover and inside)
-Front cover is free of stains, excessive/notable dirt, sticker residue, or other damage
-No water/liquid damage
-Uniform color/design (no haphazard fading)
-Text of book is clean/free of writing, highlighting, underlining

It can also mean:
-Dust jackets are more fragile and not always 100% intact
-Library markings and inside inscriptions/names remain (we love this!)
-Interesting stickers remain (such as from defunct bookstores, but not limited to)
-Things left in books stay in books (bookmarks, to-do lists, other charming things - we love these, too!)
-Open edges (non-bound sides) can sometimes change color over time and be darker than the inside pages

We also have Extra Life books, which are in need of a little more love, either in their handling or acceptance of their quirks.  These books are discounted, and their features of having lived extra in someone's life are noted within the photos and descriptions.  You are also giving them Extra Life by buying them!

Sometimes, we miss things, though.*  And when we do, we will make it right. 

Question: So every book is used, or just in Good condition?

We have tons of books in Very Good, Excellent, and New condition.  The overwhelming number of our books are in Good+ shape; Extra Life books are a smaller percentage of what we carry.  We will occasionally run Extra Life sales where we offer special selections of heavily-loved books.

Happy reading, dreaming, and living with books!

*Sometimes there is a bit of sticker residue on the books that we don't catch.  Sticker residue is the bane of our existence.  Please accept our sticky apologies and rub at it with a damp paper towel with some mild dish soap on it, then dry it off.  Fingernails can be useful too.  

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