Book Quote by Terry Pratchett
“The Librarian considered matters for a while. So…a dwarf and a troll. He preferred both species to humans. For one thing, neither of them were great readers. The Librarian was, of course, very much in favor of reading in general, but readers in particular got on his nerves. There was something, well, sacrilegious about the way they kept taking books off the shelves and wearing out the words by reading them. He liked people who loved and respected books, and the best way to do that, in the Librarian’s opinion, was to leave them on the shelves where Nature intended them to be.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Discworld series, The Light Fantastic, 1986
The Librarian prefers non‑human species because they don’t read, which he finds disrespectful to books; he believes books belong untouched on shelves.
In simple terms: He likes beings that don’t read, keeping books untouched.
Key Takeaway
Respect books by preserving them, not over‑using them.
Themes
respect for literature
preservation
humor
Mood
ironic
playful
critical
Type
satirical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- museum curation
- library policy
- personal reading habits
- education
- book collecting
Key Concepts
library ethics
anthropomorphism
cultural critique
Questions to Reflect On
- Why protect books by preventing reading?
- Is it better to keep books unread?
A Different Perspective
His view is absurd and ignores the value of reading for knowledge and enjoyment.
