Grayling

I have hundreds of book that I want to ship to Brisbane. Some of them are worth quite a lot of money.

Anyone have any experience of shipping books?

I am interested in how the books fare on the journey and also how the change in humidity may affect them.

I need to decide whether to ship them or store them in the UK.

The value of the books would far outweigh the shipping costs but not if they get damaged in the process.

Some of them are irreplaceable (especially to me) so it is not simply a case of getting the right insurance.

Grateful for any experiences or advice

G

Racht70

Hi Grayling cant help you mate but ill be watching this thread, I too have hundreds...some girls like shopping for shoes- I like books

Possums

Hi G I shipped a lot of books they all arrived in good condition, no damage, damp or mustyness if you know what I mean. Mine were packed by the shippers into large boxes just as they were.

I wonder if you could wrap the valuable ones invidiually to give them more protection?

Grayling

Shoes I can throw away but not my books......you know what I mean

G

Grayling

Hi P

Good to hear that.

I would certainly get some professional advice but wondered what other people's experience was.

I am also a wee bit concerned about humidity as some of them are quite old.

G

Pollyana

Same here, all mine were just in boxes, and arrived fine

Grayling

Good to hear.

I realise that I will probably have to ship them and hope everything is OK.

I can't really take them in my suitcase

Are they OK in the humidity?

G

Racht70

Sure do. Books

Possums

wonder if this is of any use G http://www.nla.gov.au/pres/conver/100196.html

of course humidity is something we dont suffer down here

>Trigger<

We use those vaccuum bags that suck out all of the air...Wrap your expensive books,inside something like a blanket ( to protect against knocks) then suck out any air....no air = no moisture

mr mover

Just get some kitchen zip lock bags put your valuable books in side [1 per bag] then place a small sachet of silica gel inside ,[camera stores sell this]...Humidity tends to only effect leather bound books..........mm

Wol

We shipped a load of books from the States to England and then out here - no problems.

Just pack them into "book" boxes - they are quite small compared with the usual packing boxes - because they are VERY heavy! A normal "teabox" size box weighs more than can be lifted. I would just put a thick binliner in each and, if you are paranoid, a silica gel sachet as well, seal it up and wait delivery. Any humidity doesn't really affect them for a week or two - they would just pick up the ambient humidity on arrival. Of course, if the box goes over the side it would be different!

Sandra

Brought hundreds of books and gave aways hundreds more but it was the hundreds of comic books we could not leave behind. Brought all of them over packed by the shippers (Pickfords) and not a problem. We worried about the humidity once here though. We keep them in the coolest room in the house, in plastic boxes with the silica gel packets. Not found any problem with them even though clothes have gone mouldy in wardrobes and other things like walls sometimes have a feel of grease from condensation.

I am in Sydney, do people have problems further North?

Gems

We shipped lots of books. One of the few things we did bring and glad.

They were just packed in the small book boxes (by us as not in the UK).
They arrived fine, I just gave them quick hoover for dust and put them on the shelves.

Def worth bringing books in my opinion.
Just found the website book depository to get free shipping to oz.

Gems

Grayling

Thanks for the replies.

I do want to take them with me as I am forever browsing through them.

I will need to take care with packing and then hope the shipping goes smoothly.

G