The thing I love most about used bookstores, other than the books and the personal service, is the smell. Why do used books have a particular scent? Have you ever wondered?
The browning or "foxing" (localized brown spots) on the pages of an old book are part of the deterioration process that occurs over time. Acidity of the paper is the biggest reason for a book to decay. In the 19th and 20th centuries, paper used in printing is very acidic, thus accelerating the deterioration process, thus the smell. Books printed centuries ago have been known to have survived 500 years because the paper was more pure than what is used today.
For the greatest longevity of your books, store them in a cool and dry environment, out of direct sunlight.
This is exactly why I never get why people love the smell of old books, especially they yellowed ones (which are the ones with high acidity). Acid and decay...I'll pass. I skip the 1950s-1970s era because of this, older than that the smell isn't as acidic.
ReplyDeleteAccording to Stephen Fry on QI, you can get high from smelling old books. Something about the fungi (too lazy to google it right now, but it was quite interesting - pun intended).
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