Replies to ...cigarette smoke-tinged books
Thanks to those who responded to my questions, 12 of you in all. Some asked me to share the replies, so here goes. TO CHARGE OR NOT TO CHARGE FOR DAMAGE Many librarians told me they regard smells as the cost of doing business, and if the item is not damaged and can be put back on the shelf after treatment, they don't talk to the patron or charge them. Good advice! Clare Membiela said, "I think this could be covered under your damaged policy - unless it can be remediated. Is it possible to remove the odor?" Many of you told me it is possible; here's how: METHODS Many people put the smelly item in a closed plastic box with kitty litter, for a day to up to a week. Tracy Logan, Cadillac Wexford Public Library Director, goes a bit further, with good success: "A deodorizing tank can be made using a Rubbermaid tub with a tight fitting lid, kitty litter (clay), a cardboard box, and tape. Place a layer of kitty litter in the box. Clean the book's cover in your usual way. Put the books in the cardboard box and tape the box completely shut so litter can't get in. Set the cardboard box with books inside on the kitty litter and cover the cardboard box with another layer of kitty litter. Put the lid of the tub back on and let the items sit for 2-3 days depending on the strength of the smells. " Kelsey Rutkowski of Indian River Area Library says they use an Arm & Hammer moisture absorption & odor elimination bucket from Walmart in a sealed plastic tote and "put dryer sheets over each item and sometimes between pages depending on how large the books are". Andrea Estelle, director of Otsego District Public Library, says they stick a dryer sheets in the pages and put them in a Ziploc bag in the freezer for a week; another librarian emphasized unscented sheets to protect future readers with scent sensitivities. Many responders open the books on a flat surface to air. Jessica Holman, Negaunee Public Library director "prefer[s] to wipe down the cover and stick the books in front of a fan in sunlight until the smell dissipates." Candace Mahoney of Salem South Lyon District Library replied, "We have a 'fumigation chamber' which is a large Rubbermaid tote that has a layer of Gonzo odor absorbing rocks on the bottom, topped with a plastic mesh grid. That setup occupies maybe the bottom 2 inches of the tub. We set the books into the bin on top of the mesh, with their pages fanned out a bit. The smoky smell is usually gone within a few days. We have a laminated sheet on top and a dry erase marker which we use to record which titles went in on which dates so they can be checked and reshelved." Meredith Sommers of Bayliss Public Library referred to the items being "at the spa" during fumigation :) Hope this information is useful! Susan Riegler ------ Hello all, A patron returned five books today that smell pretty smoky. This is the third time in a few months. There's nothing in our policy that deals with this directly. A circulation policy states: Materials damaged or lost by a patron must be replaced by the patron. Have you dealt with this before? Have you talked to the patron, which I will do; and when, if you do so, do you declare the item damaged and the patron responsible for paying for the item/s? Thanks! -- _Susan Riegler_ Susan Riegler, Director Alden District Library 231/331-4318 -- _Susan Riegler_ Susan Riegler, Director Alden District Library 231/331-4318
We have a "stank box" for cig smoked and use it regularly. Interleaving book pages with baking soda and sealing in a ziplock bag helps too. On Tue, Mar 4, 2025 at 1:04 PM aldenlib--- via Michlib-l <michlib-l@mcls.org> wrote:
Thanks to those who responded to my questions, 12 of you in all. Some asked me to share the replies, so here goes.
TO CHARGE OR NOT TO CHARGE FOR DAMAGE
Many librarians told me they regard smells as the cost of doing business, and if the item is not damaged and can be put back on the shelf after treatment, they don't talk to the patron or charge them. Good advice!
Clare Membiela said, "I think this could be covered under your damaged policy – unless it can be remediated. Is it possible to remove the odor?" Many of you told me it is possible; here's how:
METHODS
Many people put the smelly item in a closed plastic box with kitty litter, for a day to up to a week. Tracy Logan, Cadillac Wexford Public Library Director, goes a bit further, with good success: "A deodorizing tank can be made using a Rubbermaid tub with a tight fitting lid, kitty litter (clay), a cardboard box, and tape. Place a layer of kitty litter in the box. Clean the book's cover in your usual way. Put the books in the cardboard box and tape the box completely shut so litter can't get in. Set the cardboard box with books inside on the kitty litter and cover the cardboard box with another layer of kitty litter. Put the lid of the tub back on and let the items sit for 2-3 days depending on the strength of the smells. "
Kelsey Rutkowski of Indian River Area Library says they use an Arm & Hammer moisture absorption & odor elimination bucket from Walmart in a sealed plastic tote and "put dryer sheets over each item and sometimes between pages depending on how large the books are".
Andrea Estelle, director of Otsego District Public Library, says they stick a dryer sheets in the pages and put them in a Ziploc bag in the freezer for a week; another librarian emphasized unscented sheets to protect future readers with scent sensitivities.
Many responders open the books on a flat surface to air. Jessica Holman, Negaunee Public Library director "prefer[s] to wipe down the cover and stick the books in front of a fan in sunlight until the smell dissipates."
Candace Mahoney of Salem South Lyon District Library replied, "We have a 'fumigation chamber' which is a large Rubbermaid tote that has a layer of Gonzo odor absorbing rocks on the bottom, topped with a plastic mesh grid. That setup occupies maybe the bottom 2 inches of the tub. We set the books into the bin on top of the mesh, with their pages fanned out a bit. The smoky smell is usually gone within a few days. We have a laminated sheet on top and a dry erase marker which we use to record which titles went in on which dates so they can be checked and reshelved."
Meredith Sommers of Bayliss Public Library referred to the items being "at the spa" during fumigation :)
Hope this information is useful! Susan Riegler
------ Hello all,
A patron returned five books today that smell pretty smoky. This is the third time in a few months. There's nothing in our policy that deals with this directly. A circulation policy states: Materials damaged or lost by a patron must be replaced by the patron.
Have you dealt with this before? Have you talked to the patron, which I will do; and when, if you do so, do you declare the item damaged and the patron responsible for paying for the item/s?
Thanks!
-- _Susan Riegler_
Susan Riegler, Director
Alden District Library
231/331-4318
--
*Susan Riegler*
Susan Riegler, Director
Alden District Library
231/331-4318
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-- Jean Fellows Programming Coordinator Grand Ledge Area District Library 131 E. Jefferson St., Grand Ledge, MI 48837 517-627-7014 *The Grand Ledge Area District Library is situated on ancestral, traditional and contemporary lands of the Anishinaabeg – Three Fires Confederacy of Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi peoples-- land ceded in the 1819 Treaty of Saginaw.*
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