how do you orient your dustjackets/clear plastic sleeves?

[dn]

I don't even know if the purpose of the clear plastic record sleeves is to avoid dust or more to prevent covers from scratching, general preservation, etc., but here's the question:  Do you slip the record in them so that the opening of the plastic is on top, or to the side?  any difference for LP's as opposed to 7''s?

[bradx]

7" top, 12" side.  recently i got sick of them and have been throwing them all away

[N]

Side opening for both, not sure if it makes a difference in terms of keeping dust out but I don't like flipping through them with the tops all exposed.

[jamespheromoan]

dont use them at all. Hate the bloody things

[P-TNT]

Top up

[SPACE UNIVERSE]

Always top up, so that when I pull shit out, records don't fall out of them. I thought this was standard?

[tina]

I do top, Kevin does side.  We were just "discussing" this subject last weekend.  I feel like the record always starts to fall out when it's on the side, so instead of being able to read the album name on the binding, there are just a bunch of flaps of plastic sticking out.

[oddskies]

Top up

[bradx]

I do top, Kevin does side.  We were just "discussing" this subject last weekend.  I feel like the record always starts to fall out when it's on the side, so instead of being able to read the album name on the binding, there are just a bunch of flaps of plastic sticking out.

this was my logic until recently with older more fragile jackets i thought i was doing more damage by removing them from the plastic sleeve than if there was no sleeve at all and the record could just drop out with relative ease.

[trey]

Always top up, so that when I pull shit out, records don't fall out of them. I thought this was standard?

i think it is mostly standard but some people do like the opening to the side so its easier to get to the record.  the solution is to store the jacket and inner sleeve separately in the plastic sleeve (opening on the top side).  

[akpasta]

Top dudes! When it's on the side (opening facing the left) the plastic slides off the record when you push it back into the stacks. Super annoying.

On gatefolds, I put the record in the middle, open facing up, so I can just pull it out the top.

[smiller]

Going the side route fucks with every aspect of my Virgo mind! Top.

[Richie]

Going the side route fucks with every aspect of my Virgo mind! Top.

[allergictofun]

I think it really depends on how your records are stored. If you file LPs like books on shelves, with spine facing out, then unquestionably it has to be top open. If there's a shelf above, then no dust will fall inside. Plus, then when you pull em out, the sleeve won't come off (I hate when other people file them with side open and the record and everything gets separated the next time you pull it out.)

BUT... 7"s, which I, like most other sane people, have stored in boxes, I file side-open. For one, if you have the boxes uncovered, then all the dust would fall right in the top of the open sleeve. Two, if you're flipping through from the top, the open sleeves get battered (I remember at the radio station, all the covers were thrashed at the top from fingers going into the sleeve). Plus, since most older 7" sleeves open from the top, having the plastic sleeve open on the side protects them better.

Funny thread.

[tina]

Going the side route fucks with every aspect of my Virgo mind! Top.