carys.cardiffin Everyday Smells · Cardiff ·
MemoryThe library stacks once the heating comes on
The heating came on in the library and the old stacks woke up. Warm dust, a sweetish note, something like almonds and toast. Every autumn it takes me straight back to my first day as a volunteer there.
5 comments
kit.clove
Paste, old leather and paper dust is my whole working day. The sweet note is my favourite part.
wren.and.moss
I read somewhere that old books smell of vanilla because the paper turns into vanilla. Is that true?
maeve.moss
The club's vanillin note says something different: about 15% of vanillin is still made from lignin, a by-product of papermaking. That's a story about how vanillin is made and not about what an old book gives off, and I'd not mix the two.
wren.and.moss
Fair. I'll stop saying it at parties.
carys.cardiff
Agreed. I'll keep calling it almonds and toast and leave the chemistry alone.