Harry Potter collectible busts are displayed in the home of Menahem Asher Silva Vargas, after he was presented with a Guinness World Record title certificate for the largest collection of Harry Potter memorabilia, in Mexico City, Monday, September 29, 2014. Silva's collection consists of more than 3000 individual items, including trading cards, wands, and books in multiple languages. (Photo by Rebecca Blackwell/AP Photo)

Survivors pass by two large boats after they were washed ashore by strong waves caused by Typhoon Haiyan in Tacloban city, Leyte province central Philippines on Sunday, November 10, 2013. Typhoon Haiyan, one of the strongest storms on record, slammed into six central Philippine islands on Friday leaving a wide swath of destruction and hundreds of people dead. (Photo by Aaron Favila/AP Photo)

Two citizens splash hot water which is quickly frozen in the cold air on January 7, 2021 in Beijing, China. A strong cold wave sweeps across China as the Chinese capital Beijing recorded 19.5 Celsius below zero on 06 January morning, the lowest temperature since 1966, according to meteorological authorities. (Photo by Peng Yucai/VCG via Getty Images)

A woman from a flood affected area arrives to receive food and other items distributed by the religious charity group Al-Khidmat Foundation Pakistan, in Shabqadar near Peshawar, Pakistan, Tuesday, September 13, 2022. The death toll from three months of record-breaking floods in Pakistan rose to over 1,400, officials said Tuesday, as the minister for climate warned the prolonged monsoon rains will continue lashing this impoverished nation in the coming weeks. (Photo by Muhammad Sajjad/AP Photo)

Grand title winner: Environmental photographer of the year. The Bitter Death Of Birds by Mehdi Mohebi Pour. This photo shows the efforts of the environmental forces to collect the bodies and prevent the spread of this disease. The Miankaleh wetland is being destroyed by changes in the climate and it is my duty as a photographer to highlight these problems and create a record for history. I want to prevent the complete destruction of the wetland and the potential environmental disaster by showing the issues and threats to these beautiful natural places. (Photo by Mehdi Mohebi Pour/Environmental Photographer of the Year)

Children's television presenter Evie Pickerill records a piece to camera with puppet “Dodge T. Dog” in the interstage area on Day 3 of Glastonbury Festival 2023 on June 23, 2023 in Glastonbury, England. The Glastonbury Festival of Performing Arts sees musicians, performers and artists come together for three days of live entertainment. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

An indigenous man of Mahmeri tribe wearing a costume of Puteri Gunung Ledang character receives a dose of the vaccine against Covid-19 in Banting, near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia,15 August 2021. Malaysia recorded another 20,670 new Covid-19 cases on 14 August, bringing the cumulative total to 1,384,353 cases. (Photo by Ahmad Yusni/EPA/EFE)

People will spout about impermanence of digital records, but books are really fragile, too. Alexis Arnold from San Francisco wanted to illustrate that with her project The Crystallized Book: collecting books and growing Borax crystals on them. Books range from literature classics to magazines, and there’s even a mysterious and arcane tome called “Linux: The Complete Manual”.