Most books cannot be repaired and must be replaced. Books and journals, which are highly illustrated, are also very expensive. Dog owners might tuck their shoes in their closets to protect them from Fido, they do not always think to protect library books in a similar way. Keep library material safe and out of harms way. Once coffee or coke or food has been spilled onto a book, it will never be removed.
Stains can cause permanent damage.
Furthermore, not only are the pages grossly discolored, but also the stains can lead to mould or cause the pages to stick together. The best way to prevent staining is to avoid eating and drinking around library material. This form of mutilation is perhaps the most innocent. It happens when people remove the book or journal from the shelf, and when they are making photocopies. Many library users are unaware of the proper way to remove a book from the shelf.