The smelly books sit atop carts on the library's underground loading dock. They've been exiled there because they stink. They would contaminate the books that did not go up in flames. Handle the books, and covers fall off. Pages crumble to the touch.
Dust jackets turn to dust.
An oily, black soot sticks to the fingers. The soot washes off. But the smell remains. As the day wears on, the scent turns into the smell of sadness over a pleasure lost - browsing a shelf of books in peace. Out of circulation Eight of the 35 books burned beyond repair are out of print.