[Genealib] Re: Smelly books

[Joy Rich]

Cheryl, you want to remove the cause of the smell. At 
http://palimpsest.stanford.edu/mirrors/faq/loc/presfaq.html#four , it says
"How can I get rid of the smell of mildew in my books?
The smell comes from biological growth on books that are stored in damp, dark, cool 
locations. Check for active or dormant mold. Remove the materials to a drier (but still 
cool) environment, and make sure that plenty of air is circulating around them. These 
conditions should render the biological growth dormant. If the mildewed materials are 
stored for an extended period under such coonditions, the smell will eventually disappear 
of its own accord. The same technique can be applied to dry books affected with active 
mold. If you can see mold growth, DO NOT attempt to clean it off under the materials are 
thoroughly dry. Premature clearning attempts will grind the mold into the covers or paper 
and cause stains that are often impossible to remove.
A short exposure to sunlight and circulating air outdoors also may help to rid the books 
of the mildew smell. Remember, though, that light damages paper-based materials. Drying 
materials in the sunlight may result in some darkening or fading of book materials and 
paper, so select this approach only with materials for which such damage is considered 
acceptable."
Don't let the book near anything else in your collection until the smell is gone. Mildew 
(and mold) are microscopic. If the smell won't go away, you might want to consider getting 
the book photocopied.

Joy Rich

[Genealib] Smelly books
Cheryl Smith cheryls at plano.gov
Fri Jun 9 12:16:13 EDT 2006
We have a book that was donated that has the old musty smell.  It won't
go away.  We tried airing it out.  I've heard of some ideas before here.
Do ya'll have some ideas?  We've checked for mildew and there is none.
It's a worthwhile book to add to our collection.  We want to give it one
more chance to get rid of the smell.

Thanks for any suggestions.
Cheryl Smith
Public Services Librarian Senior
Harrington Library
1501 18th St.
Plano, TX  75074
972-941-7175