Books are obviously great for reading and learning, but there’s so much more you can do with them. Whether you’re building new objects, or just learning how to better use the books you’ve got, there’s a book hack out there for you. Here we will tell you about 100 hacks that you can do with books.

General

These are some fun projects you can do with books.

1. Book Plates: Book Plates offers illustrated book plates to download for free on My Home Library.
2. BookCrossing: Using BookCrossing, you can track where your books end up.

Book Care

Here you’ll learn how to make books last longer, and even perform repairs.

3. Avoid direct sunlight: Sunlight can fade your book’s jacket and dry out the pages.
4. Create a wrapper: You can wrap a damaged book in a protective enclosure with this tutorial.
5. Remove labels: If you have trouble removing price tags and other labels, try using a hair dryer.
6. Use paper towels to soak up grease: If you have grease between the pages of your book, try interleaving the book with paper towels.
7. Store books upright: Carefully store your books upright to ensure they keep their shape.
8. Replace a page: Follow this tutorial to learn how to "tip-in" a page.
9. Don’t grab books by the top of the spine: Grab books on either side rather than the top of the spine.
10. Save books from mold: Using a hair dryer, you can help dry out books in an emergency.
11. No tape book cover: This guide will show you how to make a durable book cover with nothing but a paper bag and scissors.
12. Hinge repair: If you find that you have broken hinges in your book, follow this guide.
13. Designer book bag cover: Use shopping bags to create this ingenious book cover.
14. Avoid high humidity and dampness: With humidity and dampness, your books will be subject to mold.
15. Use a bookplate: Instead of writing your name in a book, use a custom bookplate.
16. Repair a cover: Follow these directions, and you’ll find out how to repair covers.
17. Keep books away from pets: Don’t let your dog or cat chew on books.
18. Duct Tape Book Cover: This hack will help you make a protective book cover out of duct tape.
19. Clean with Vaseline: You can get smudges off of dust jackets with the help of Vaseline.
20. Dust your books occasionally: Use a feather duster to get dust off of your books.
21. Spine repair: Follow this method to replace a spine on your book.
22. Read with clean hands: Don’t read your books while you’re eating!
23. Repair torn pages: You can save pages with art adhesive or acid free tapes.
24. Watch out for extreme temperatures: Extreme heat or cold can damage your books.
25. Save wet books: Use the air dry method to save wet books.
26. Use bookmarks: Don’t fold your pages down or leave books upside down.
27. Save your dust jackets: Dust jackets will protect your book’s cover.
28. Hinge Tightening: These instructions will teach you how to tighten hinges.

Google

These hacks will help you get the most out of Google Books.

29. Google Book Downloader: Use this utility to save books from Google as a PDF.
30. Embed books in videos: Google Book Search makes it possible to embed Google Books into YouTube videos.
31. Rosetta Project: The Rosetta Project offers downloads for quality children’s books.
32. Read books on your mobile device: Go to books.google.com/m to get access to loads of books you can read on your device.
33. Search inside books: You’ll be able to search the contents of books by keyword on Google Print.
34. Mapped Books: Google Books mashes up with Google Maps to provide interactive mapping.
35. Find banned books: Google Book Search offers a direct link to search results for banned books, as well as links to places you can purchase them.
36. Get ePub downloads: Google Books offers ePub format downloads from their archives.
37. Zune Books: Here you’ll learn how you can read books on your Zune.

Cataloging

Keep track of your book catalog using these hacks.

38. BookBump: Use BookBump to get an iTunes-like cataloging system for books.
39. LibraryThing: Use tags and ISBNs to catalog your books on LibraryThing.
40. Shelfari: Use Shelfari to browse and recommend books to people within your social network.
41. Delicious Library: Create a virtual bookshelf on your Mac using Delicious Library.
42. Readerware: Readerware is incredibly useful for cataloging your collection.
43. Books: Books is a free, downloadable Mac tool that will catalog your books.

Studying, Reading & Writing

These hacks will make it easier for you to study, read, or write.

44. Use book darts: Instead of folding down pages, use little page markers called book darts.
45. BibMe: BibMe offers an easy way to add books to your bibliography.
46. Spiderweb book light: This lighting hack makes a book light that centers light on the book only.
47. DailyLit: Using DailyLit, you can get email-sized portions of novels to read every day.
48. LitSum: LitSum offers easy to read summaries for classic literature.
49. Find the essential 20%: If you’re reading in a hurry, get the most out of the book by identifying what’s really important.
50. Project Gutenberg: With Project Gutenberg, you’ll get access to thousands of free ebooks online.
51. Hands free book pillow: With this pillow, you’ll be able to read comfortably and hands free.
52. LibriVox: Use LibriVox to find public domain books available as MP3 audiobooks.

Book Making

Here you’ll learn how to make your own books.

53. Bind your own paperback book: Print free books off of Project Gutenberg, or your own creation, and bind them with this hack.
54. Binding a single signature pamphlet: This guide will teach you how to create a single signature.
55. Make a fake book: Here you’ll learn how to make a fake book out of everyday objects.
56. Accordion book: Using simple materials, you’ll be able to hack together your own accordion book.
57. Super Simple Book Binding: This hack offers a really easy way to bind books.
58. Handbound book: Follow this hack to make a handbound book out of magazines and other materials.
59. Bind your own paperback books at home: Here you can find out how to make your own paperback books with card stock and glue.
60. Envelope book: This book is made with twelve vintage envelopes.
61. Make a diamond-paged book: This book certainly isn’t practical, but it is neat.
62. The Book of Time: This hack shows you how to make an ancient looking book.
63. Book press: Check out this hack to see how you can press books at home.

Shopping & Selection

With the help of these hacks, you’ll never have trouble finding a book you want to read.

64. Advanced Search: Books: Learn about upcoming books from your favorite authors and subjects using Amazon’s Advanced Book Search.
65. Biblio: With the help of Biblio, you’ll be able to find the book you’re looking for, including rare and out of print ones.
66. UnSuggester: UnSuggester will help you find books based on ones you don’t like.
67. BookSeer: This book finding tool will tell you what you should read next.
68. How to Stop Accumulating Books: If you find that you tend to book-hoard, check out this guide.
69. BookArmy: BookArmy offers suggestions for new books, and can get you connected with readers who have similar taste.
70. ISBNSpy: Compare prices on the go with the help of ISBNSpy.
71. BookLamp: BookLamp offers an analysis of the books you like in order to recommend new books for you.
72. Get rid of easy access books: If you have too many books, consider tossing the ones you don’t plan to go back to, and can find easily in the public domain.
73. WhichBook: This search engine will help you find the perfect book you’re looking for right now.
74. Buy Cheap Books: This guide will teach you how to find cheap books.
75. BookMooch: With this community, it’s easy and cheap to exchange your old books for new ones.
76. Zunafish: On Zunafish, you can trade all sorts of media, including books for just $1 per transaction.
77. What Should I Read Next: Get recommendations for books you may enjoy using this tool.
78. Book Burro: Use this Firefox extension to find the best price on the book you want.
79. PaperBackSwap: PaperBackSwap offers a point system for mailing out your old books, and getting new ones.
80. BookSwim: You’ll be able to rent books on a regular basis from Book Swim.
81. BookFinder: This search engine will help you find rare and out of print books for sale online.

Home & Art

Make useful and beautiful objects with these hacks.

82. Make a book bar: You can create a bar out of old books.
83. Literary clock: Follow this hack to learn how to turn a book into a clock.
84. Hook a Book: Use this hack to display your book’s cover.
85. Invisible bookshelf: Create a bookshelf out of a book for a neat storage effect.
86. Build a book safe: Make a safe to protect small items using this hack.
87. Book speaker: Create speakers inside your books with this hack.
88. Simple book light: Here you’ll find an extremely easy to make book light.
89. Power book: This hack shows you how to hide your power corns in a hidden book.
90. Create vases and furniture: Be like designer Laura Cahill, and use old books to make furniture and vases.
91. Create a folded book: This tutorial will show you how to turn your book into an interesting form.
92. iPhone Moleskine Case: Using this case, you can read on your mobile device, while still getting the feel of a real book.
93. "Audio Book": Turn your book into an iPod case with this tutorial.
94. Mini-Book USB Flash Drive Find out how to put your flash drive in a book in this tutorial.
95. Sexy secret safe: This hack has a special high tech twist on the hidden compartment book project.

Library

With these hacks, you can make your library more useful than before.

96. Library Elf: You’ll be able to get notified when your library books are due with Library Elf.
97. Join Friends of the Library: You’ll get perks like longer check-out periods and other privileges.
98. Ask your library to buy a book: The library will often purchase books for you to check out if you ask.
99. Library Books: Library Books makes it easy to track your library books on the Mac.
100. Take advantage of interlibrary loans (ILL): If your library doesn’t have a book, ask them to get it through an interlibrary loan.