---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ...I spent many, many hours…"
description: "\"...I spent many, many hours in...libraries. Libraries became courts of last resort, as it were.\" — Arthur Ashe"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d99/arthur-ashe-8868_court_i-spent-many-many-hours-in-libraries-lib_1846024.png"
---

#  ...I spent many, many hours in...libraries. Libraries…

![“...I spent many, many hours in...libraries. Libraries became courts of last resort, as it were.” quote by Arthur Ashe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d99/arthur-ashe-8868_court_i-spent-many-many-hours-in-libraries-lib_1846024.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d99/arthur-ashe-8868_court_i-spent-many-many-hours-in-libraries-lib_1846024.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d99/arthur-ashe-8868_court_i-spent-many-many-hours-in-libraries-lib_1846024.png)

> “...I spent many, many hours in...libraries. Libraries became courts of last resort, as it were.”

[Arthur Ashe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-ashe/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He viewed libraries as ultimate safe spaces for knowledge and refuge when other institutions failed.

**In simple terms:** Libraries are last‑resort courts for learning.

Key Takeaway

Seek knowledge in libraries when other doors close.

Themes

education refuge knowledge resilience

Mood

reflective hopeful

Type

inspirational philosophical

When to use this quote

- studying
- research
- personal growth
- career change

Key Concepts

library science social support

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you find refuge in knowledge?
- What resources can replace a library?

A Different Perspective

Libraries may not replace all societal structures.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Court](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/court/) [Hours](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hours/) [Hours Libraries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hours-libraries-2389202/) [Last resort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/last-resort/) [Lasts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lasts/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Libraries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/libraries/) [Libraries Courts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/libraries-courts-953926/) [Libraries Libraries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/libraries-libraries-953928/) [Library](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/library/) [Resorts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resorts/) [School library](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school-library/) [Spent Hours](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spent-hours-372130/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/)

## Related quotes

> [Throughout my formal education I spent many, many hours in public and school libraries. Libraries became courts of last resort, as it were. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-ashe/throughout-my-formal-education-i-spent-many-many-hours-in-public-and/)

[Arthur Ashe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-ashe/)

> [I once stole a book. It was really just the once, and at the time I called it borrowing. It was 1970, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/i-once-stole-a-book-it-was-really-just-the-once-and-at-the-time-i/)

[Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/)

> [“Libraries are always bigger on the inside because every book has an entire word inside of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-arger/libraries-are-always-bigger-on-the-inside-because-every-book-has-an/)

[Robert Arger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-arger/)

> [It's easy to blame the nature-deficit disorder on the kids' or the parents' back, but they also need the help of urban planners, schools,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-louv/it-s-easy-to-blame-the-nature-deficit-disorder-on-the-kids-or-the/)

[Richard Louv](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-louv/)

> [A School Library is Like the Bat Cave: it's a safe fortress in a chaotic world, a source of knowledge and the lair of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-angleberger/a-school-library-is-like-the-bat-cave-it-s-a-safe-fortress-in-a/)

[Tom Angleberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-angleberger/)

> [There is more treasure in books than in all the pirates' loot on Treasure Island...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/there-is-more-treasure-in-books-than-in-all-the-pirates-loot-on-2/)

[Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/)

> [Our nearly century-long experiment in banning marijuana has failed as abysmally as Prohibition did... In contrast, legalizing and taxing marijuana would bring in substantial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/our-nearly-century-long-experiment-in-banning-marijuana-has-failed-as/)

[Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/)

> [“The humble little school library ... was a ramp to everything in the world and beyond, everything that could be dreamed and imagined, everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-sherman/the-humble-little-school-library-was-a-ramp-to-everything-in-the/)

[Lee Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-sherman/)

> [I recall that I had a terrible struggle finding anything antireligious in the school libraries.But many years later my family moved into a house…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madalyn-murray-o-hair/i-recall-that-i-had-a-terrible-struggle-finding-anything/)

[Madalyn Murray O'Hair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madalyn-murray-o-hair/)

> [Do you know that if you take the books in an average school library and stretched out all those words into a single line,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/do-you-know-that-if-you-take-the-books-in-an-average-school-library/)

[Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/)

> [I spent all my time at school in the library. Bad teachers can teach you to learn on your own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-colbert/i-spent-all-my-time-at-school-in-the-library-bad-teachers-can-teach/)

[Gregory Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-colbert/)

> [I got into Kiss before I got into anybody. The first thing I heard was 'Detroit Rock City.' I heard it in the school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-posehn/i-got-into-kiss-before-i-got-into-anybody-the-first-thing-i-heard-was/)

[Brian Posehn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-posehn/)

> [In assembling this group of portraits of women, I'm aware that I'm treading on dangerous ground. When I was in college, I learned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-soth/in-assembling-this-group-of-portraits-of-women-i-m-aware-that-i-m/)

[Alec Soth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-soth/)

> [Books are the quietest and most constant of friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-william-eliot/books-are-the-quietest-and-most-constant-of-friends/)

[Charles William Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-william-eliot/)

> [Every child in American should have access to a well-stocked school library.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-bush/every-child-in-american-should-have-access-to-a-well-stocked-school/)

[Laura Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-bush/)

## More by Arthur Ashe

> [I accepted the face that as much as I want to lead others, and love to be around other people, in some essential way,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-ashe/i-accepted-the-face-that-as-much-as-i-want-to-lead-others-and-love-to/)

[Arthur Ashe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-ashe/)

> [True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-ashe/true-heroism-is-remarkably-sober-very-undramatic-it-is-not-the-urge/)

[Arthur Ashe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-ashe/)

> [My humanity, in common with all of God's children, gives the greatest flight to my full range of my possibilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-ashe/my-humanity-in-common-with-all-of-god-s-children-gives-the-greatest/)

[Arthur Ashe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-ashe/)

> [I would like to flood South Africa with black personages of all sorts of persuasions: writers, educators, businessmen, you name it. If you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-ashe/i-would-like-to-flood-south-africa-with-black-personages-of-all-sorts/)

[Arthur Ashe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-ashe/)

> [Success is a journey not a destination. The doing is usually more important than the outcome. Not everyone can be Number 1.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-ashe/success-is-a-journey-not-a-destination-the-doing-is-usually-more/)

[Arthur Ashe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-ashe/)

> [If I don't ask "Why me?" after my victories, I cannot ask "Why me?" after my setbacks and disasters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-ashe/if-i-don-t-ask-why-me-after-my-victories-i-cannot-ask-why-me-after-my/)

[Arthur Ashe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-ashe/)

> [Someone once told me that God figured that I was a pretty good juggler. I could keep a lot of balls in the air…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-ashe/someone-once-told-me-that-god-figured-that-i-was-a-pretty-good/)

[Arthur Ashe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-ashe/)

> [I know I could never forgive myself if I elected to live without humane purpose, without trying to help the poor and unfortunate, without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-ashe/i-know-i-could-never-forgive-myself-if-i-elected-to-live-without/)

[Arthur Ashe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-ashe/)

> [ I don't want to be remembered for my tennis accomplishments. That's no contribution to society. \[Tennis\] was purely selfish; that was for me. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-ashe/i-don-t-want-to-be-remembered-for-my-tennis-accomplishments-that-s-no/)

[Arthur Ashe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-ashe/)

> [Seven out of 10 black faces you see on television are athletes. The black athlete carries the image of the black community. He carries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-ashe/seven-out-of-10-black-faces-you-see-on-television-are-athletes-the/)

[Arthur Ashe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-ashe/)

> [You learn about equality in history and civics, but you find out life is not really like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-ashe/you-learn-about-equality-in-history-and-civics-but-you-find-out-life/)

[Arthur Ashe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-ashe/)

> [If I didn't play tennis I probably would have to see a psychiatrist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-ashe/if-i-didn-t-play-tennis-i-probably-would-have-to-see-a-psychiatrist/)

[Arthur Ashe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-ashe/)

> [Some folks call tennis a rich people's sport or a white person's game. I guess I started too early because I just thought it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-ashe/some-folks-call-tennis-a-rich-people-s-sport-or-a-white-person-s-game/)

[Arthur Ashe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-ashe/)

> [I have always tried to be true to myself, to pick those battles I felt were important. My ultimate responsibility is to myself. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-ashe/i-have-always-tried-to-be-true-to-myself-to-pick-those-battles-i-felt/)

[Arthur Ashe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-ashe/)

> [We blacks look for leadership in men and women of such youth and inexperience, as well as poverty of education and character, that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-ashe/we-blacks-look-for-leadership-in-men-and-women-of-such-youth-and/)

[Arthur Ashe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-ashe/)

[Explore all 77 Arthur Ashe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-ashe/)

## More Court quotes

> [Long before the 2016 presidential campaign, confidential sources had alerted me to longstanding misuses of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court system and the erosion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharyl-attkisson/long-before-the-2016-presidential-campaign-confidential-sources-had/)

[Sharyl Attkisson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharyl-attkisson/)

> [I have always worked really hard off the court. I think it's helped me play more consistently on the tour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-draper/i-have-always-worked-really-hard-off-the-court-i-think-it-s-helped-me/)

[Jack Draper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-draper/)

> [The human element should be the two players on the court, not the officials. The best officials are the ones you never notice. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-scott/the-human-element-should-be-the-two-players-on-the-court-not-the/)

[Gene Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-scott/)

> [They will find somebody younger, somebody funnier, somebody more engaged. As long as the court genre is viable, people are going to be looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-sheindlin/they-will-find-somebody-younger-somebody-funnier-somebody-more/)

[Judy Sheindlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-sheindlin/)

> [A federal court has ruled that the U.S. Postal Service must reduce its stamp prices. The change in stamp prices is expected to affect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/a-federal-court-has-ruled-that-the-u-s-postal-service-must-reduce-its/)

[Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/)

> [The dog is guided by kindly instinct to the man or woman whose heart is open to his advances. The cat often leaves the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/the-dog-is-guided-by-kindly-instinct-to-the-man-or-woman-whose-heart/)

[Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/)

> [What I do know is I'm going to give absolute 100 percent effort any time I'm on the court.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-ariza/what-i-do-know-is-i-m-going-to-give-absolute-100-percent-effort-any/)

[Trevor Ariza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-ariza/)

> [...As the disparity between the rich and the poor grows, the fight to corner resources is intensifying. To push through their "sweetheart deals," to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/as-the-disparity-between-the-rich-and-the-poor-grows-the-fight-to/)

[Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/)

> [In a recent decision of the Supreme Court, not made, however, by the full court, and concurred in by only four justices, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bates-clark/in-a-recent-decision-of-the-supreme-court-not-made-however-by-the/)

[John Bates Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bates-clark/)

> [I try to be the clown and court jester and make people laugh. At the same time, you have people in the hospital who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-simmons/i-try-to-be-the-clown-and-court-jester-and-make-people-laugh-at-the/)

[Richard Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-simmons/)

> [When I went to law school, which after all was back in the dark ages, we never looked beyond our borders for precedents. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/when-i-went-to-law-school-which-after-all-was-back-in-the-dark-ages/)

[Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/)

> [What's going on in my life, I never bring it to the basketball court.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemba-walker/what-s-going-on-in-my-life-i-never-bring-it-to-the-basketball-court/)

[Kemba Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemba-walker/)

> [One or two years ago, I didn't know who I was on court and I used to swear a lot. But now I've learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-federer/one-or-two-years-ago-i-didn-t-know-who-i-was-on-court-and-i-used-to/)

[Roger Federer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-federer/)

> [Off the court, I tend to stick to the classics, but I like to have fun with color and accessories. I'm from Spain, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-hilfiger/off-the-court-i-tend-to-stick-to-the-classics-but-i-like-to-have-fun/)

[Tommy Hilfiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-hilfiger/)

> [There was a man named Robert Dear who in court said he was a warrior for the babies, whose ex-wife talked about his Christian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hayes/there-was-a-man-named-robert-dear-who-in-court-said-he-was-a-warrior/)

[Chris Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hayes/)

[Browse all 4,024 Court quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/court/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "...I spent many, many hours in...libraries. Libraries became courts of last resort, as it were.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Arthur Ashe"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-ashe/i-spent-many-many-hours-in-libraries-libraries-became-courts-of-last/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Court"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-ashe/i-spent-many-many-hours-in-libraries-libraries-became-courts-of-last/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d99/arthur-ashe-8868_court_i-spent-many-many-hours-in-libraries-lib_1846024.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d99/arthur-ashe-8868_court_i-spent-many-many-hours-in-libraries-lib_1846024.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d99/arthur-ashe-8868_court_i-spent-many-many-hours-in-libraries-lib_1846024.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“...I spent many, many hours in...libraries. Libraries became courts of last resort, as it were.” — Arthur Ashe",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Arthur Ashe",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-ashe/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "...I spent many, many hours in...libraries....",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-ashe/i-spent-many-many-hours-in-libraries-libraries-became-courts-of-last/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-ashe/i-spent-many-many-hours-in-libraries-libraries-became-courts-of-last/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
