--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Library didn't only contain magical…" description: "\"The Library didn't only contain magical books, the ones which are chained to their shelves and are very dangerous. It also contained perfectly ordinary..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11b/terry-pratchett-19_book_the-library-didn-t-only-contain-magical_1162820.jpg" --- # The Library didn't only contain magical books, the ones… ![“The Library didn't only contain magical books, the ones which are chained to their shelves and are very dangerous. It also contained perfectly ordinary books, printed on commonplace paper in mundane ink. It would be a mistake to think that they weren't also dangerous, just because reading them…” quote by Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11b/terry-pratchett-19_book_the-library-didn-t-only-contain-magical_1162820.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11b/terry-pratchett-19_book_the-library-didn-t-only-contain-magical_1162820.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11b/terry-pratchett-19_book_the-library-didn-t-only-contain-magical_1162820.jpg) > “The Library didn't only contain magical books, the ones which are chained to their shelves and are very dangerous. It also contained perfectly ordinary books, printed on commonplace paper in mundane ink. It would be a mistake to think that they weren't also dangerous, just because reading them didn't make fireworks go off in the sky. Reading them sometimes did the more dangeous trick of making fireworks go off in the privacy of the reader's brain.” [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The library holds both dangerous magical books and seemingly harmless ordinary ones that can ignite dangerous thoughts in the mind. **In simple terms:** Both magical and ordinary books can be mentally hazardous. Key Takeaway Approach all reading with critical awareness. Themes knowledge danger imagination Mood thoughtful cautious Type cautionary philosophical When to use this quote - education - media literacy - creative writing - psychology Key Concepts cognitive impact literary power mental hazards Questions to Reflect On - How do ordinary texts shape hidden thoughts? - What safeguards can readers use? A Different Perspective Not all dangerous ideas are obvious; subtle influence can be profound. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) [Library](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/library/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Privacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/privacy/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Sky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sky/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [“(...) perfectly ordinary books, printed on commonplace paper in mundane ink. 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The need to interchange the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-desclos/a-man-in-love-is-the-master-so-it-seems-but-only-if-his-lady-friend/) [Anne Desclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-desclos/) > [We are chained to that which we do not forgive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/we-are-chained-to-that-which-we-do-not-forgive/) [Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/) > [“Your realm is an insane place. In Volaria, no-one goes hungry, slaves are no use when they starve. Those freeborn too lazy or lacking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-ryan/your-realm-is-an-insane-place-in-volaria-no-one-goes-hungry-slaves/) [Anthony Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-ryan/) > [“But heroin was my air. It had a hold of me like we were chained together. And those shackles weren't just around my wrists,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marni-mann/but-heroin-was-my-air-it-had-a-hold-of-me-like-we-were-chained/) [Marni Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marni-mann/) ## More by Terry Pratchett > [“This one’s mental.’ ‘Eccentric.’ ‘What’s the difference?’ ‘A bag of cash.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/this-one-s-mental-eccentric-what-s-the-difference-a-bag-of-cash/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“But I did not return until half past four this morning and I distinctly remember stubbing my toe on the stairs. I am as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/but-i-did-not-return-until-half-past-four-this-morning-and-i/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Someone broke from the scrum and, punching and kicking, staggered towards the Klatchian goal. "Isn't that man your butler?" said Ahmed. "Yes." "One of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/someone-broke-from-the-scrum-and-punching-and-kicking-staggered/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [It's an interesting fact that fewer than 17 % of Real cats end their lives with the same name they started with. 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And now it's full of young people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-were-more-old-people-the-world-was-full-of-them-said-the-wizard/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Hobson was big and heavyset, but not exactly fat; he was probably what you’d get if you shaved a bear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/hobson-was-big-and-heavyset-but-not-exactly-fat-he-was-probably-what/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“There is a night that never comes to an end… The clock of the world turns under its own shadow. Midnight is a moving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-is-a-night-that-never-comes-to-an-end-the-clock-of-the-world/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You'd like Freedom, Truth, and Justice, wouldn't you, Comrade Sergeant?' said Reg encouragingly. 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