Quotes on Libraries and Books

Hello all. A long time has passed since our last sharing of all things literature. Over this weekend a friend, colleague, and semi-mentor of mine retired from her job of twenty-three years as a children’s librarian at our local library. Having spent years working along side her, she has become one of my many inspirations in being a librarian and sharing books and stories with others. In her honor, I have compiled some quotes and books that are about libraries and books.

“Without libraries what have we? We have no past and no future.”
– Ray Bradbury, author of science fiction novels including Fahrenheit 451.

"You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them."
– Ray Bradbury

“Libraries are as the shrines where all the relics of the ancient saints, full of true virtue, and that without delusion or imposture, are preserved and reposed.”
— Libraries
— Francis BACON (1561-1626)

“A library is not a luxury but one of the necessities of life.”
— Henry Ward BEECHER

“A great library contains the diary of the human race.”
— Address on Opening the Birmingham Free Library
— George Mercer DAWSON (1849-1901)

“Library Here is where people,
One frequently finds,
Lower their voices
And raise their minds.”
— Light Armour. McGraw-Hill, 1954.
— Richard ARMOUR

“No place affords a more striking conviction of the vanity of human hopes than a public library.”
— The Rambler. March 23, 1751.
— Samuel JOHNSON (1709-1784)

“A great public library, in its catalogue and its physical disposition of its books on shelves, is the monument of literary genres.”
— Cited in World Literature Today, Spring 1982, p.231
— Robert MELANCON (1947- )

In addition, I just wanted to say that book lovers should check out Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Through the Magic Door. Beyond his Sherlock Holmes mysteries, Doyle has written some great books as well. Through the Magic Door is a tour of his beloved personal library and the cherished books that it has on its bookshelves. I am still finding a personal copy of the book. However, Project Gutenberg has transcribed the book into their archives and can be accessed here: http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/5317. I’m looking forward spending time reading this work of the love of books!

IFLANET (International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. “Quotations about Libraries and Librarians: Subject Lists.” (Accessed 17 February 2009) http://www.ifla.org/I/humour/subj.htm.

Springfield City Library. “One Book, One Springfield.” (Accessed 17 February 2009) http://www.springfieldlibrary.org/onebook/2006onebook/onebook2006.html.