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NYPL Discusses That Old Book Smell
By
Jen Carlson
Published Apr 15, 2010
Modified Apr 15, 2010
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By
Jen Carlson
Published Apr 15, 2010
Modified Apr 15, 2010
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Charles Dickens's copy of "A Christmas Carol" that he used for public readings. It smelled good. (Jen Carlson/Gothamist)
Mmm... old book smell: is there anything better? Here's a short piece discussing the odor that iPads and Kindles will never be able to recreate. In it you'll hear the NYPL's Thomas Lannon and Shelly Smith describe what they smell after sticking their noses in an old book, picking up hints of pockets, the inside of a purse, and onions! The smells differ from book to book, depending on paper quality and how the book has been stored; and the older the book is, the smellier it is (something about VOCs—volatile organic compounds—given off by paper as it degrades).
The folks at Bond No. 9 should really get on a New York Public Library scent (they've already bottled the High Line, Bryant Park, and other areas of NYC).
Tagged
books
nypl
old book smell
scent
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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