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<h4 class="dechead">On One Hand: You can store them flat
Unlike certain softcover books, hardcover books can be stored flat because of the strength of their spine. Sometimes older books, whose spine is worn down, cannot take the weight of books stacked on top of them. But as long as you make sure each spine is strong and the weight of the books stacked on top is evenly distributed (so the stack doesn't fall over) you can definitely store them flat.
On the Other: Flat storage is inconvenient
If you want to get at your hardcover books, you're much better off storing them side-by-side on a shelf. That way, when you find a book you want, you don't have to carefully remove every book that it sitting on top of it. Instead, you can easily pull the book out immediately.
Bottom Line
If you're storing the hardcover books for a long time, there's no problem storing them flat and stacking them on top of each other. However, if you are simply putting books away for a little while until you revisit them, you're probably better off storing them upright.
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