--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Access to knowledge is the superb, the…" description: "\"Access to knowledge is the superb, the supreme act of truly great civilizations. Of all the institutions that purport to do this, free libraries stand ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64b/toni-morrison-271_access_access-to-knowledge-is-the-superb-the-su_1132250.jpg" --- # Access to knowledge is the superb, the supreme act of… ![“Access to knowledge is the superb, the supreme act of truly great civilizations. Of all the institutions that purport to do this, free libraries stand virtually alone in accomplishing this mission. No committee decides who may enter, no crisis of body or spirit must accompany the entrant. No…” quote by Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64b/toni-morrison-271_access_access-to-knowledge-is-the-superb-the-su_1132250.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64b/toni-morrison-271_access_access-to-knowledge-is-the-superb-the-su_1132250.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64b/toni-morrison-271_access_access-to-knowledge-is-the-superb-the-su_1132250.jpg) > “Access to knowledge is the superb, the supreme act of truly great civilizations. Of all the institutions that purport to do this, free libraries stand virtually alone in accomplishing this mission. No committee decides who may enter, no crisis of body or spirit must accompany the entrant. No tuition is charged, no oath sworn, no visa demanded. Of the monuments humans build for themselves, very few say - touch me, use me, my hush is not indifference, my space is not barrier. If I inspire awe, it is because I am in awe of you and the possibilities that dwell in you.” [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Free libraries embody open access to knowledge, allowing anyone to learn without barriers, fostering awe and potential in individuals. **In simple terms:** Libraries give everyone free access to knowledge. Key Takeaway Support and protect public libraries. Themes education freedom community inspiration Mood hopeful reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - students studying - researchers seeking sources - community members exploring - citizens learning new skills Key Concepts democracy human potential public good Questions to Reflect On - How can we ensure libraries remain free and inclusive? - What role do libraries play in personal growth? A Different Perspective Funding cuts and digital divide can limit access. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Access](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/access/) [Awe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awe/) [Barriers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barriers/) [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) [Crisis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crisis/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Indifference](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indifference/) [Institutions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/institutions/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Library](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/library/) [Missions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/missions/) [Monument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monument/) [My space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-space/) [Oath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oath/) [Possibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possibility/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Tuition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tuition/) [Visa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/visa/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [“Access to knowledge is the superb, the supreme act of truly great civilizations. Of all the institutions that purport to do this, free libraries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/access-to-knowledge-is-the-superb-the-supreme-act-of-truly-great/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [Mountains inspire awe in any human person who has a soul. They remind us of our frailty, our unimportance, of the briefness of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-aston/mountains-inspire-awe-in-any-human-person-who-has-a-soul-they-remind/) [Elizabeth Aston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-aston/) > [I choose free libraries as the best agencies for improving the masses of the people, because they give nothing for nothing. They only help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/i-choose-free-libraries-as-the-best-agencies-for-improving-the-masses/) [Andrew Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-carnegie/) > [Everyone, young and old, must have access to the knowledge and skills to participate in the evolving economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-young-and-old-must-have-access-to-the-knowledge-and-skills/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“These are dangerous times. Never have so many people had so much access to so much knowledge and yet have been so resistant to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-m-nichols/these-are-dangerous-times-never-have-so-many-people-had-so-much/) [Thomas M. Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-m-nichols/) > [“Librarians are the bedrock of the public domain and the defenders of our fundamental right to access knowledge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-malamud/librarians-are-the-bedrock-of-the-public-domain-and-the-defenders-of/) Carl Malamud > [For me, Sci-Hub has a value by itself, as a website where users can access knowledge. There are many websites where you can see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-elbakyan/for-me-sci-hub-has-a-value-by-itself-as-a-website-where-users-can/) [Alexandra Elbakyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-elbakyan/) > [“I like to share info & links to help access knowledge and possible solutions to situations.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-woodman/i-like-to-share-info-links-to-help-access-knowledge-and-possible/) [Jay Woodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-woodman/) > [Access to communication in the widest sense is access to knowledge, and that is vitally important for us We do not need pity, nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-braille/access-to-communication-in-the-widest-sense-is-access-to-knowledge-2/) Louis Braille > [Access to communication in the widest sense is access to knowledge, and that is vitally important for us if we are not to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-braille/access-to-communication-in-the-widest-sense-is-access-to-knowledge/) Louis Braille > [The Earth is alive and contains the knowledge you seek. It is your consciousness that determines what it reveals. How to access this knowledge?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-marciniak/the-earth-is-alive-and-contains-the-knowledge-you-seek-it-is-your/) [Barbara Marciniak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-marciniak/) > [“Anyone can have access to knowledge but very few are chosen by the divine light to be guided.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sacredfire/anyone-can-have-access-to-knowledge-but-very-few-are-chosen-by-the/) [Robin Sacredfire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sacredfire/) > [Until very recently, most knowledge was inaccessible to people who couldn't read text. But this is changing. The computer opens up other channels of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/until-very-recently-most-knowledge-was-inaccessible-to-people-who/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) > [“We use other people's brains to navigate the world: to acquire skills and practices, and to access knowledge systems of long-dead strangers. We call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-earls/we-use-other-people-s-brains-to-navigate-the-world-to-acquire-skills/) Mark Earls > [ The scenery was very beautiful. But I did not see The Great Wall \[of China\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yang-liwei/the-scenery-was-very-beautiful-but-i-did-not-see-the-great-wall-of/) Yang Liwei ## More by Toni Morrison > [Perhaps that's what all human relationships boiled down to: Would you save my life? or would you take it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/perhaps-that-s-what-all-human-relationships-boiled-down-to-would-you/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [There, in the center of that silence was not eternity but the death of time and a loneliness so profound the word itself had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/there-in-the-center-of-that-silence-was-not-eternity-but-the-death-of/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [In times of dread, artists must never choose to remain silent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/in-times-of-dread-artists-must-never-choose-to-remain-silent/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“Not know it was hard;knowing it was harder”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/not-know-it-was-hard-knowing-it-was-harder/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“Didn’t everything on God’s earth have or acquire defense?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/didn-t-everything-on-god-s-earth-have-or-acquire-defense/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [If you can't count, they can cheat you. If you can't read, they can beat you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/if-you-can-t-count-they-can-cheat-you-if-you-can-t-read-they-can-beat/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“You looked at them and wondered why the were so ugly; you looked closely and could not find the source. Then you realized that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/you-looked-at-them-and-wondered-why-the-were-so-ugly-you-looked/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [All she saw, down in the cellar well beneath the stoop, was a light yellow feather with a tip of green. And she had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/all-she-saw-down-in-the-cellar-well-beneath-the-stoop-was-a-light/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [For me, Art is the restoration of order. It may discuss all sort of terrible things, but there must be satisfaction at the end.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/for-me-art-is-the-restoration-of-order-it-may-discuss-all-sort-of/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“To Sethe, the future was a matter of keeping the past at bay”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/to-sethe-the-future-was-a-matter-of-keeping-the-past-at-bay/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“Hate does that. Burns off everything but itself, so whatever your grievance is, your face looks just like your enemy's.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/hate-does-that-burns-off-everything-but-itself-so-whatever-your/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“You know how a star is supposed to twinkle? 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Its threat gave her direction, clarity, audacity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/she-was-fierce-in-the-presence-of-death-heroic-even-as-she-was-at-no/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) [Explore all 774 Toni Morrison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) ## More Access quotes > [Conservatism is not about leaving people behind. Conservatism is about empowering people to catch up, to give them the tools at their disposable that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/conservatism-is-not-about-leaving-people-behind-conservatism-is-about/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [You can disseminate your art, and it's all such easy access now. The upside to it is that more people are creating than ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-clarke/you-can-disseminate-your-art-and-it-s-all-such-easy-access-now-the/) [Stanley Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-clarke/) > [It's the same with this idea of a literate public, and also of a democracy in which people have access to and really read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hass/it-s-the-same-with-this-idea-of-a-literate-public-and-also-of-a/) [Robert Hass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hass/) > [My hope is that if people have the knowledge, and if they actually see where their food comes from and have access to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/my-hope-is-that-if-people-have-the-knowledge-and-if-they-actually-see/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [I don't think it's always a sign of respect for persons (inside or outside of fiction) to pretend to be able to represent, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-lerner/i-don-t-think-it-s-always-a-sign-of-respect-for-persons-inside-or/) [Ben Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-lerner/) > [Leslie Stein's comics give readers privileged access to a complete and wholly original world of gently skewed wonders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-woodring/leslie-stein-s-comics-give-readers-privileged-access-to-a-complete/) [Jim Woodring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-woodring/) > [The best way to fight poverty is to empower people through access to quality education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/the-best-way-to-fight-poverty-is-to-empower-people-through-access-to/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [Because the Internet's there, I have access to a lot of the legends, like Fela Kuti. 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