These boxes provide support for fragile, damaged, and/or rare books. They were developed to produce a microclimate container that does not add a significant amount to the thickness of the volume, thus conserving shelf space. This box can be custom- produced for individually measured books in small or large quantities. It can be assembled by staff with no previous experience in box-making. Assembly on-site takes 30 seconds or less per box. The book is accessible, can be viewed without removal from the box, and is fully supported by the snug fit of the box around it. The corners of the book also are better protected. These boxes are suitable for disaster preparation programs, in that they offer a first line of defense against soot, smoke and water sprinkler systems. Their use in post-disaster recovery is also ideal because large quantities can be supplied rapidly, and labor on-site is minimal. The design is suitable for ling and short-term protection of books.