Nothing quite compares to the age-old experience of immersing yourself in a physical book. “Over the years, e-books have represented a larger and larger percentage of library collections, even as some researchers-particularly those in the humanities-continue to turn their nose up at them,” said Jeff Kosokoff, Assistant University Librarian for Collection Strategy. Library users are also advised to scratch carefully, as sharp fingernails and aggressive scratching may damage your monitor and cause the “Scratch-n-Sniff” function not to work properly.
But if your operating system is up-to-date, you should be able adjust the display settings in the control panel of your PC or mobile device to strengthen the smell. The application isn’t compatible with all browsers.
The first time you use the “Scratch-n-Sniff” feature, you may need to lean in close to your monitor and breathe deeply to get the full effect. Just gently scratch your display as you read to be transported back to your favorite reading nook in the library. Clicking the button will activate a feature that artificially simulates the olfactory experience of reading text on vintage, yellowed paper. The next time you check out an e-book through our library catalog, look for the green “Scratch-n-Sniff” button in the online interface. Look for the green “Scratch-n-Sniff” button in selected library e-books. Now, thanks to recent advances in digital publishing, we’re excited to pilot a new feature in selected library e-books that lets you recapture that odoriferous experience virtually. Of all the things our students and faculty tell us they miss most during this extended period of home isolation, that ineffable library smell is up there at the top. There’s nothing quite so comforting as the slightly musty aroma of stacks upon stacks of so much accumulated knowledge. One of the things people always say they love about libraries is the smell of old books. So don’t be afraid to ask us any question. We also have a bunch of different ways you can get the help you need, whether by chat, email, phone, in-person, or Zoom. People who work in libraries are some of the most approachable and service-oriented individuals you’ll ever meet. We’re actually very friendly people who just want you to be happy. Several libraries across Duke’s campus have self-checkout stations, where you can quickly and easily check out your own books without having to wait in line or deal with an actual human being. In a hurry? Dislike personal interactions? Check yourself out. Left your textbook in your dorm room? Or want to try before you buy? Borrow our copy for up to three hours at a time, then return it for someone else to use. We have textbooks!Įvery semester, we purchase the textbooks for the 100 largest classes at Duke, so that you can check them out for free. They’re in the Ahmadieh Family Commons on the second floor of Rubenstein Library, just outside of the Gothic Reading Room. So we’ve kept a limited number of reservable study seats available. However, one thing this past year taught us was that some students actually liked booking a seat, because they didn’t have to wander around to find a place to work. Study areas are available again on a first-come, first-served basis. Last year, if you wanted to study in the library, you had to book a seat in advance. You can still reserve a seat (but you don’t have to). See our posted hours online for the most up-to-date info. And if you really want to keep burning the midnight oil, we’ll have study spaces available in the von der Heyden Pavilion and Rubenstein Library. Our busiest libraries (Perkins, Bostock, and Lilly) will still be open until midnight most days. This semester we’ve had to scale back, due to pandemic-related budget cuts. In pre-COVID times, certain Duke libraries used to be open 24 hours during the week. Duke faculty and grad students can still have books delivered to the library of their choice by clicking the green “Request” button in the catalog. Library stacks are open again, so help yourself and browse all you like. You no longer need to request books online and schedule a time to pick them up. Book stacks are open!ĭespite the funkalicious earworm it inspired, Library Takeout is history. (Depending on your friends.) So here we go. Things are getting back to nearly normal, and the more you know ahead of time, the smarter you’ll look in front of all your friends. But now that we have your attention, we really do want to convey some important info about using the library this semester. We’ll stoop pretty low in order to seize a teachable moment.