Designing for the Senses
Course
Smell [6:21]
https://players.brightcove.net/2566261579001/HyuWsfFhb_default/index.html?videoId=4526940776001
About
ou decide what your students will smell when they enter your library. Make sure first the air is fresh, is as mold-free as possible, and has low VOC's.Transcript
When I am out walking, my path frequently takes me past my friend Bob's driveway. At the end of Bob's driveway is a large lavender plant engulfing his mailbox. The postal people have complained that it is hard to get past the bees and the lavender to deliver his mail. I feel fortunate; I can help him prune by picking and rubbing a sprig on my hands as I pass. The smell of lavender is lush, relaxing, and a big sensory stimulator. It also has a fragrance that tingles as it blends into to your skin. I love it, and I love the way it awakens my mind after a long walk.
Smell is a key component in evoking memory. For example, I kept my Grandmother's scarf for years because the smell of her lavender perfume was in it. Once the smell was gone, the scarf lost its value. John Medina explains the direct route smell has to our brain in this way. Every other sensory system must send a signal to the thalamus and ask permission to connect to the rest of the brain, including the higher levels where perception occurs. However, not the nerves carrying information about smell. Like an important head of state in motorcade, smell signals bypass the thalamus and go right into the brain's destinations. One of those destinations is the amygdala. The amygdala supervises not only formation of emotional experiences, but also the memory of emotional experiences. Because smell directly stimulates the amygdala, smell directly stimulates emotion.
Unfortunately, a lot of time the smell in our learning environments is less than memorable. The smell I encounter going through many school doors is some version of clean in the morning and sweaty bodies in the afternoon. These odors don't enrich learning. They could trigger anxiety and stress if associated with bullying or long dull days. The surprise of new smells in the library, like cinnamon or lavender, or for older students, the aroma of coffee, adds a different dimension to learning and remembering. Or perhaps it will help students remember the library with a fondness other learning environments don't evoke. But before we get too carried away with an environment of rich, pleasant smells, perhaps we should discuss a fundamental problem first.
Indoor air quality is still an issue in many of our schools. It is an issue being addressed with sustainable green building, but indoor air pollution is still a problem in thousands of schools. And unfortunately, it is not always obvious because it doesn't always stink. Indoor air can be full of chemicals like pesticides and formaldehyde. It can host viruses and bacteria. It frequently includes dust mites, water vapor molecules, dust, and mold spores.
The problem arises when there is an excessive amount of these pollutants in a school environment. It is particularly problematic for children, especially children with asthma. Respiratory illness, eye and nose irritation, and sore throat are all symptoms of poor air quality leading to student and teacher absenteeism. Children are most susceptible to health issues for a number of reasons. They spend progressively less time outdoors in fresh air, they frequently live in urban areas where air quality is lower, and they are physically closer to the ground where poor air sits. These issues are accentuated by the fact children breathe more rapidly than adults, and their lungs and other organs, such as their brains are still developing. A recent study indicated that an accumulative of 14 million school days are missed in the United States due to chronic respiratory illness, i.e. asthma, aggravated by poor air quality.
Indoor air quality is measured in VOC's, or volatile organic compounds. The term "volatile" in this case refers to the compound vaporizing, or becoming a gas, at normal room temperature. Formaldehyde is a particular problem in older buildings, where it can show up in the glue that holds pressed wood products together, or as a preservative in paints. It is also on the shiny finish used to coat paper products such as library and textbooks. Ventilation in school buildings is a key to maintaining indoor air quality. The design, operation, and maintenance of HVAC systems is critical. It is also of importance to specify products for the library like furniture and carpeting, which emit low levels of VOC's.
Another key concern in the library is preventing and controlling indoor mold growth. Mold is everywhere, but it can be minimized with dehumidification, temperature controls, and making sure your space is not too airtight. The space needs to breathe some fresh air. You also need to eliminate any source of water leakage around the foundation, walls, or ceiling. Delivering fresh, oxygenated blood to the brain is an essential part of life and learning. Poor air quality reduces oxygen levels causing fatigue, headaches, poor concentration, and ultimately poor student performance. It is another incentive to have green plants and trees just outside the library, with access to outdoor learning. The American Association of Civil Engineers indicates that there are thousands of older, poorly maintained school buildings where the air quality outside is superior to indoor air.
You decide what your students will smell when they enter your library. Make sure first the air is fresh, is as mold-free as possible, and has low VOC's. Then introduce a novelty aroma that excites young brains, adds emotion to their learning, and hopefully makes their visit to the library a long-lasting memory.
Activities
Smell is connected to memories like no other sense, but indoor air pollution is often a problem in schools. Considerations are given for improving air quality in the school library.
With a trusted friend, walk into your library space and inhale deeply. What do you smell? What does your friend smell? If the air quality seems stale or moldy, evaluate what needs to be cleaned and/or weeded from the collection. Experiment with some subtle scents that are appealing to children. Where is the best place to put the scents so library users enter a nose-pleasing environment? As a final step, survey patrons to see if your changes have been effective.
Entry ID: 2132723
Additional Resources
About the Author
Margaret L. Sullivan, MA, is an independent consultant and principal at Library Resource Group, LLC. She holds a master's degree in communication arts from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her published works include AASL's Library Spaces for 21st Century Learners: A Planning Guide for Creating New School Library Concepts along with articles on space planning in School Library Journal, Knowledge Quest, Teacher Librarian, and American School & University. For 28 years, Sullivan was an executive at the former Highsmith Inc., a leading supplier to schools and libraries, ending her career there as director of merchandising and marketing.
Select Citation Style:
MLA Citation
Sullivan, Margaret L. "Designing for the Senses. Smell [6:21]." School Library Connection, ABC-CLIO, November 2015, schoollibraryconnection.com/content/course/1985345?learningModuleId=1980800&topicCenterId=2247903.
Chicago Citation
Sullivan, Margaret L. "Designing for the Senses. Smell [6:21]." School Library Connection video. November 2015. https://schoollibraryconnection.com/content/course/1985345?learningModuleId=1980800&topicCenterId=2247903.
APA Citation
Sullivan, M. L. (2015, November). Designing for the senses. Smell [6:21] [Video]. School Library Connection. https://schoollibraryconnection.com/content/course/1985345?learningModuleId=1980800&topicCenterId=2247903
https://schoollibraryconnection.com/content/course/1985345?learningModuleId=1980800&topicCenterId=2247903
Entry ID: 1985345