A library, to modify the famous metaphor of Socrates, should be the delivery room for the birth of ideas a place where history comes to life.
—Norman Cousins (1912–1990) American Political Journalist
Here Greek and Roman find themselves alive along these crowded shelves; and Shakespeare treads again his stage, and Chaucer paints anew his age.
—John Greenleaf Whittier (1807–92) American Quaker Poet, Abolitionist
A library is a path to the future—find yours there.
—Mary Higgins Clark (1929–2020) American Suspense Novelist
Never lend books, for no one ever returns them. The only books I have in my library are those that other folks have lent me.
—Anatole France (1844–1924) French Novelist
Meek young men grow up in libraries, believing it their duty to accept the views which Cicero, which Locke, which Bacon, have given, forgetful that Cicero, Locke, and Bacon were only young men in libraries, when they wrote these books. Hence, instead of Man Thinking, we have the book-worm.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
A library is where you meet fascinating characters you never forget.
—Judy Blume (b.1938) American Author
Your library is your paradise.
—Desiderius Erasmus (c.1469–1536) Dutch Humanist, Scholar
What is more important in a library than anything else—than everything else—is the fact that it exists.
—Archibald MacLeish (1892–1982) American Poet, Dramatist
Books, like friends, should be few and well chosen. Like friends, too, we should return to them again and again—for, like true friends, they will never fail us—never cease to instruct—never cloy—Next to acquiring good friends, the best acquisition is that of good books.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
The library is the temple of learning, and learning has liberated more people than all the wars in history.
—Carl Rowan (1925–2000) American Journalist, Author, Columnist
It seems to me one cannot sit down in that place [the Round Reading room of the British Museum] without a heart full of grateful reverence. I own to have said my grace at the table, and to have thanked Heaven for my English birthright, freely to partake of these beautiful books, and speak the truth I find there.
—William Makepeace Thackeray (1811–63) English Novelist
The student has his Rome, his Florence, his whole glowing Italy, within the four walls of his library. He has in his books the ruins of an antique world and the glories of a modern one.
—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–82) American Poet, Educator, Academic
More than a building that houses books and data, the library has always been a window to a larger world—a place where we’ve always come to discover big ideas and profound concepts that help move the American story forward.
—Barack Obama (b.1961) American Head of State, Academic, Politician, Author
The great British Library—an immense collection of volumes of all ages and languages, many of which are now forgotten, and most of which are seldom read: one of these sequestered pools of obsolete literature to which modern authors repair, and draw buckets full of classic lore, or “pure English, undefiled” wherewith to swell their own scanty rills of thought.
—Washington Irving (1783–1859) American Essayist, Biographer, Historian
Most homes valued at over $250,000 have a library. That should tell us something.
—Jim Rohn (1930–2009) American Entrepreneur, Author, Motivational Speaker
Libraries are reservoirs of strength, grace and wit, reminders of order, calm and continuity, lakes of mental energy, neither warm nor cold, light nor dark. The pleasure they give is steady, unorgastic, reliable, deep and long-lasting. In any library in the world, I am at home, unselfconscious, still and absorbed.
—Germaine Greer (b.1939) Australia Academic, Journalist, Scholar, Writer
My books are my tools, and the greater their variety and perfection the greater the help to my literary work.
—Tryon Edwards (1809–94) American Theologian, Author
My Alma mater was books, a good library… I could spend the rest of my life reading, just satisfying my curiosity.
—Malcolm X (1925–65) American Civil Rights Leader
He loved this street [42nd Street], not for the people or the shops but for the stone lions that guarded the great main building of the Public Library, a building filled with books and unimaginably vast, and which he had never yet dared to enter.
—James Baldwin (1924–87) American Novelist, Social Critic
A library may be regarded as the solemn chamber in which a man may take counsel with all who have been wise, and great, and good, and glorious among the men that have gone before him.
—George Dawson (1821–76) English Nonconformist Preacher, Activist
A library of wisdom, is more precious than all wealth, and all things that are desirable cannot be compared to it. Whoever therefore claims to be zealous of truth, of happiness, of wisdom or knowledge, must become a lover of books.
—Richard de Bury
No possession can surpass, or even equal a good library, to the lover of books. Here are treasured up for his daily use and delectation, riches which increase by being consumed, and pleasures which never cloy.
—John Alfred Langford (1823–1903) British Journalist, Antiquary
My library was dukedom large enough.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Knowledge is of two kinds. We know a subject ourselves, or we know where we can find information upon it.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
Don’t join the book burners. Don’t think you are going to conceal faults by concealing evidence that they ever existed. Don’t be afraid to go in your library and read every book.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890–1969) American Head of State, Military Leader
An hour spent in the library is worth a month in the laboratory.
—Unknown
It is almost everywhere the case that soon after it is begotten the greater part of human wisdom is laid to rest in repositories.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg (1742–99) German Philosopher, Physicist
I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library.
—Jorge Luis Borges (1899–1986) Argentine Writer, Essayist, Poet
Good as it is to inherit a library, it is better to collect one.
—Augustine Birrell (1850–1933) English Politician, Essayist
We enter our studies, and enjoy a society which we alone can bring together. We raise no jealousy by conversing with one in preference to another: we give no offense to the most illustrious by questioning him as long as we will, and leaving him as abruptly. Diversity of opinion raises no tumult in our presence; each interlocutor stands before us, speaks or is silent, and we adjourn or decide the business at our leisure.
—Walter Savage Landor (1775–1864) English Writer, Poet
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