why don't libraries smell like bookstores ?

i assume you’re referring to the difference between the glorious mustiness of a library and the glorious plasticy newness of a bookstore. that’s probably due to the fact that as paper ages, the cellulose within it decays, letting off that sweet, sweet book smell. bookstore books haven’t had as much time to decay (unless it’s a used bookstore), leading to that different smell.

a book in any format may read the same, but it seems there’s something about the smell of print that e-books just can’t capture—for now.

earlier this summer, new york times tech blogger nick bilton wrote about wandering into a west village bookstore on a visit to new york:

“i immediately felt a sense of nostalgia that i haven’t felt in a long time. the scent of physical books—the paper, the ink, the glue—can conjure up memories of a summer day spent reading on a beach, a fall afternoon in a coffee shop, or an overstuffed chair by a fireplace as rain patters on a windowsill.”

but amidst this nostalgic reverie, he considers the advantages of e-books: their search functionality, ease of transport, the ability to share favorite passages with friends. he leaves the bookstore without buying anything.

yet for some, the added conveniences of electronic books can never make up for the loss of the physical experience of reading a print book. the author ray bradbury famously was never a fan of e-books:

“those aren’t books. . . . a computer does not smell. there are two perfumes to a book. if a book is new, it smells great. if a book is old, it smells even better. it smells like ancient egypt . a book has got to smell.”

according to bradbury, e-books themselves “smell like burned fuel.”

though none were as caustic as bradbury, one of the things that struck me in the responses of our online panel was the ambivalence of these avid readers (and e-book borrowers) toward the rise of e-books. many echoed the same thought: “nothing can replace the feel and smell of a physical book.”

as another panelist explained:

“i thoroughly enjoy reading from my kindle. i am honestly surprised because i am an absolute bibliophile. i love the touch, the smell, everything about a paper book. i would find it shameful if paper books were not longer published or made available. for me, my e-reader will never take the place of a paper book, but it does have its own niche.”

however, some patrons noted the downside of the “used book smell.” one wrote:

“i’ve always been a book lover, but not having to deal with dirty, smelly, broken books is really nice. instead of borrowing [print] books from the library, i’ll buy the e-book if the library’s e-book isn’t available.”

another said that she doesn’t even borrow print books from the library because she is allergic to perfume, “and the physical books are usually smelly. e-books, on the other hand, have no odor.”

in fact, one patron felt that having fewer books at the library made the library more conducive to reading:

「コンピューターと電子書籍のフォーマットが普及した今、図書館が古い臭いの本で散らかっていないのが好きです。図書館は古い書店のようではなく、読者が座って読むのを待っている居間のように感じさせます。」

最後に、私たちの全国調査の結果は、「良い本の匂い」の欠如はほとんどの読者にとって大きな問題ではないが、それは確かに無関係ではないことを示しています。

読者に本を読むことについて何が一番好きか尋ねると、彼らはさまざまな回答をしました。多くの人が学習、娯楽、またはリラクゼーションの喜びについて言及しましたが、少数（2％）は、本の物理的特性（感覚と匂い）が読書のお気に入りの部分であると述べました。また、現在電子書籍リーダーを所有していないアメリカ人（kindleやnookなど）の約16％が、主な理由は一般的に印刷物の本を好むことだと述べています。

電子書籍リーダーは、多くの状況で電子書籍を印刷することを明らかに好んでいますが、印刷されたページの触覚の喜びをすべて犠牲にする必要はないかもしれません。実際、ノスタルジックな電子書籍リーダーは、図書館や紙の情熱（上部に表示）などの香水で、新しい本や古い本の香りを取り戻すことができます。予算の読者のために、smell ofbooks™は、「新しい本の香り」や「古典的なかび臭い香り」（以下に表示）から「カリカリのベーコンの香り」まで、さまざまな香りで利用できる「エアロゾル電子書籍エンハンサー」を提供すると主張しています。注-上記の香水とは異なり、この製品は冗談っぽいようです。

印刷の楽しさと電子書籍の使いやすさの間の彼女自身の内部の妥協点を説明したオンラインパネリストの言葉で締めくくります。 「ページをめくる匂いの喜びは電子書籍に匹敵するものではありませんが、電子書籍からの物語の喜びは誰かを物理的な本の読者に変えることができます」と彼女は言いました。 「そして私たちが読むほど、私たちは皆より良くなります。」

何千人ものかび臭い人々がそれらの本や書店に触れたので、図書館は古くて壊れているので簡単です。新しい紙とプラスチックのduhhh！

because books at a bookstore are new while library books have been used

hope it helps

because only old people read books, so libraries smell like old people.

they don't have that earth, minty smell of money.

because the libarie is a real place wear u can get books for free and book stors are okay

as a book age, the chemical compounds like glue, paper, ink begin to break down. and, as they do, they release volatile compounds the source of the smell.

this is the main reason for difference in smell.

as a book ages, the chemical compounds used—the glue, the paper, the ink–begin to break down. and, as they do, they release volatile compounds—the source of the smell. ... to wit, witness kerry mansfield's “expired,” a series whose substance is the physicality of discarded and withdrawn library books.

i assume you’re referring to the difference between the glorious mustiness of a library and the glorious plastic y newness of a bookstore. that’s probably due to the fact that as paper ages, the cellulose within it decays, letting off that sweet, sweet book smell. bookstore books haven’t had as much time to decay (unless it’s a used bookstore), leading to that different smell. fabletics creates premium activewear, yoga pants, fitness apparel, leggings, capris, joggers & more! fabletics' clothing inspires you to stay active, whether that means competing in competitions, sweating in the studio, or chasing after your kids. as a book age, the chemical compounds like glue, paper, ink begin to break down. and, as they do, they release volatile compounds the source of the smell.

this is the main reason for the difference in smell.

a book in any format may read the same, but it seems there’s something about the smell of print that e-books just can’t capture—for now.

earlier this summer, new york times tech blogger nick bilton wrote about wandering into a west village bookstore on a visit to new york:

“i immediately felt a sense of nostalgia that i haven’t felt in a long time. the scent of physical books—the paper, the ink, the glue—can conjure up memories of a summer day spent reading on a beach, a fall afternoon in a coffee shop, or an overstuffed chair by a fireplace as rain patters on a windowsill.”

but amidst this nostalgic reverie, he considers the advantages of e-books: their search functionality, ease of transport, the ability to share favourite passages with friends. he leaves the bookstore without buying anything.

yet for some, the added conveniences of electronic books can never make up for the loss of the physical experience of reading a print book. the author ray bradbury famously was never a fan of e-books:

“those aren’t books. . . . a computer does not smell. there are two perfumes to a book. if a book is new, it smells great. if a book is old, it smells even better. it smells like ancient egypt . a book has got to smell.”

however, some patrons noted the downside of the “used book smell.” one wrote:

“i’ve always been a book lover, but not having to deal with dirty, smelly, broken books is really nice. instead of borrowing [print] books from the library, i’ll buy the e-book if the library’s e-book isn’t available.”

another said that she doesn’t even borrow print books from the library because she is allergic to perfume, “and the physical books are usually smelly. e-books, on the other hand, have no odour.”

in fact, one patron felt that having fewer books at the library made the library more conducive to reading:

“i like that the libraries are not as cluttered with old smelly books now that the computers and e-book formats are around. it makes the libraries feel less like old bookstores and more like a living room waiting for readers to sit down and read.”

finally, the results of our national survey indicate that while the lack of a “good book smell” is not a deal-breaker for most readers, it’s certainly not irrelevant.

when we asked readers what they like most about reading books, they gave a variety of responses. many mentioned the joys of learning, entertainment, or relaxation, but a few (2%) said the physical properties of books—their feel and smell—was their favourite part of reading. and among americans who don’t currently own an e-reader (like a kindle or nook), about 16% said the main reason is that they just prefer print books in general.

though e-book readers clearly prefer e-books to print in many situations, they may not need to sacrifice all the tactile pleasure of the printed page. in fact, nostalgic e-book readers can now recapture that new- or old-book scent with perfumes such as in the library and paper passion (shown at top). and for the budget reader, smell of books™ claims to offer an “aerosol e-book enhancer,” available in scents ranging from its “new book smell” and “classic musty smell” (shown below) to “crunchy bacon scent.” note—unlike the perfumes mentioned above, this product appears to be tongue-in-cheek.

i’ll close with the words of an online panellist who described her own internal compromise between the pleasures of print and the ease of e-books. “the joy of smelling turning pages can’t be matched by an e-book, but the joy of the story from an e-book can turn someone into a physical book reader,” she said. “and the more we read the better we all are.”

easy because libraries are old and decrepit since thousands upon thousands of musty people touched those books and bookstores there just magical clean non-touched books and the smell of new paper and plastic duhhh!

because books at a bookstore are new while library books have been used

hope it helps