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How to Buy Dust Jackets

A dust jacket is a covering over the outside of a hardcover book. Some dust jackets are paper, some have plastic and some are both. Library edition hardcover books will often have a plastic cover over the dust jacket to prevent the dust jacket from becoming easily torn and damaged. Some people discard dust jackets as soon as they receive a book. Vintage or hard-to-find dust jackets can add value to important books. Buying dust jackets depends on which type you are purchasing.

Things You'll Need

  • Tape measure
  • Reproduction dust jackets
  • Original dust jackets
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Instructions

    • 1

      Measure the size of the book including height, width and thickness.

    • 2

      Look for reproduction dust jackets that are designed to fit your size of book. There are many reproduction dust jackets available. Often interior decorators will add a color coordinated dust jacket cover to books in rooms where the display of books can look cluttered. Dust jackets are sold by the range of sizes the cover will fit.

    • 3

      Purchase original dust jackets by visiting a local used book store and placing a request for the specific book cover that you are missing. There is a used market for original book covers. Prices for covers vary depending on the rarity of the book and the condition of the cover. It is a good idea to bring the book with you to the store so that the clerk can identify the exact publishing information for your edition.

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