--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: -And there's this twelve thousand dollars…" description: "\"“-And there's this twelve thousand dollars item for books. -That supposed to be twelve hundred, the twelve thousand is for paper. towels. Besides there..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/257/william-gaddis-7794_books_and-there-s-this-twelve-thousand-dollars_202478.jpg" --- # -And there's this twelve thousand dollars item for books… ![“-And there's this twelve thousand dollars item for books. -That supposed to be twelve hundred, the twelve thousand is for paper. towels. Besides there is already that bequest for the library. -Did it say books in so many words? No. It's just a bequest for the library. -Use it for pegboard. You…” quote by William Gaddis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/257/william-gaddis-7794_books_and-there-s-this-twelve-thousand-dollars_202478.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/257/william-gaddis-7794_books_and-there-s-this-twelve-thousand-dollars_202478.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/257/william-gaddis-7794_books_and-there-s-this-twelve-thousand-dollars_202478.jpg) > ““-And there's this twelve thousand dollars item for books. -That supposed to be twelve hundred, the twelve thousand is for paper. towels. Besides there is already that bequest for the library. -Did it say books in so many words? No. It's just a bequest for the library. -Use it for pegboard. You need pegboard in a library. Books you don't know what you're getting into.”” [William Gaddis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gaddis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A character debates how to allocate a large sum meant for books, highlighting bureaucratic confusion and misallocation of resources. **In simple terms:** Misunderstanding leads to wasted money. Key Takeaway Clarify intent before spending. Themes bureaucracy misallocation library budget communication Mood frustrated irritated critical Type advice cautionary When to use this quote - library budgeting - grant administration - donor intent - policy drafting Key Concepts resource management institutional oversight financial planning Questions to Reflect On - How can organizations ensure funds are used as intended? - What safeguards prevent misinterpretation of donor wishes? A Different Perspective Funds may be diverted if purposes aren't explicitly defined. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Books Supposed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books-supposed-936521/) [Dollars Item](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dollars-item-2111311/) [Library Did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/library-did-2111313/) [Pegboard Need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pegboard-need-2111312/) [Supposed Thousand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supposed-thousand-2111310/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [I had no idea how long books were supposed to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-todd/i-had-no-idea-how-long-books-were-supposed-to-be/) [Anna Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-todd/) > [The thing people don't realize, God bless them, is that my books are supposed to suck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/the-thing-people-don-t-realize-god-bless-them-is-that-my-books-are/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [ I always carry a pistol when I go \[to the New York Public Library\]. Never did trust those stone lions. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bloch/i-always-carry-a-pistol-when-i-go-to-the-new-york-public-library/) [Robert Bloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bloch/) > [“You look…happy,” Owen said as Nora stepped into the library. “Did you do something inappropriate?” “I’m not that happy,” Nora answered. He”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timandra-whitecastle/you-look-happy-owen-said-as-nora-stepped-into-the-library-did-you-do/) [Timandra Whitecastle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timandra-whitecastle/) > [“…Because every ruler celebrated his conquests by setting torch to the nearest library. Did not Julius Caesar incinerate the scrolls in the great library…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-king/because-every-ruler-celebrated-his-conquests-by-setting-torch-to-the/) [Ross King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-king/) > [However, I survived and started to read all chemistry books that I could get a hand on, first some 19th century books from our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ernst/however-i-survived-and-started-to-read-all-chemistry-books-that-i/) [Richard Ernst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ernst/) > [Joss's ears perked up. He loved libraries. Nowhere else in the world felt so safe and homey. Nowhere else smelled like books and dust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-brewer/joss-s-ears-perked-up-he-loved-libraries-nowhere-else-in-the-world/) [Heather Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-brewer/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [At the very beginning, I was a page at Letterman, and I freelanced for any place that would let me write any word. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-schwartz/at-the-very-beginning-i-was-a-page-at-letterman-and-i-freelanced-for/) [Ben Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-schwartz/) > [If I don't know who I'm writing for, I make it up and pick somebody I'm writing for. That's really the only way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-mazin/if-i-don-t-know-who-i-m-writing-for-i-make-it-up-and-pick-somebody-i/) [Craig Mazin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-mazin/) > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) [Christopher K. Krebs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-k-krebs/) > [Regardless of the criticisms I receive from the left, the right and the middle, I think it's important to maintain a prolific writing jab,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-reed/regardless-of-the-criticisms-i-receive-from-the-left-the-right-and/) [Ishmael Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-reed/) > [I wrote when I was a young teen, but I didn't put an eye on the available markets until I was seventeen. The next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reed/i-wrote-when-i-was-a-young-teen-but-i-didn-t-put-an-eye-on-the/) [Robert Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reed/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) ## More by William Gaddis > [“That after an hour's silence he can say, The one thing I cannot stand is dampness... That's all, it took him an hour to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gaddis/that-after-an-hour-s-silence-he-can-say-the-one-thing-i-cannot-stand/) [William Gaddis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gaddis/) > [“What is it they want from a man that they didn't get from his work? What do they expect? What is there left of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gaddis/what-is-it-they-want-from-a-man-that-they-didn-t-get-from-his-work/) [William Gaddis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gaddis/) > [“-We live in Rome, he says, turning his face to the room again, -Caligula's Rome, with a new circus of vulgar bestialized suffering in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gaddis/we-live-in-rome-he-says-turning-his-face-to-the-room-again-caligula-s/) [William Gaddis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gaddis/) > [“It is a naked city. Faith is not pampered, nor hope encouraged; there is no place to lay one's exhaustion: but instead pinnacles skewer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gaddis/it-is-a-naked-city-faith-is-not-pampered-nor-hope-encouraged-there-is/) [William Gaddis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gaddis/) > [“There was the cell where Fr. Eulalio, a thriving lunatic of eighty-six who was castigating himself for unchristian pride at having all the vowels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gaddis/there-was-the-cell-where-fr-eulalio-a-thriving-lunatic-of-eighty-six/) [William Gaddis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gaddis/) > [Stupidity is the deliberate cultivation of ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gaddis/stupidity-is-the-deliberate-cultivation-of-ignorance/) [William Gaddis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gaddis/) > [“Venerable age had not, for him, arranged that derelict landscape against which it is privileged to sit and pick its nose, break wind, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gaddis/venerable-age-had-not-for-him-arranged-that-derelict-landscape/) [William Gaddis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gaddis/) > [“They write for people who read with the surface of their minds, people with reading habits that make the smallest demands on them, people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gaddis/they-write-for-people-who-read-with-the-surface-of-their-minds-people/) [William Gaddis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gaddis/) > [We're comic. We're all comics. We live in a comic time. And the worse it gets the more comic we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gaddis/we-re-comic-we-re-all-comics-we-live-in-a-comic-time-and-the-worse-it/) [William Gaddis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gaddis/) > [“Esther liked books out where everyone could see them, a sort of graphic index to the intricate labyrinth of her mind arrayed to impress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gaddis/esther-liked-books-out-where-everyone-could-see-them-a-sort-of/) [William Gaddis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gaddis/) > [“What greater comfort does time afford, than the objects of terror re-encountered, and their fraudulence exposed in the flash of reason?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gaddis/what-greater-comfort-does-time-afford-than-the-objects-of-terror-re/) [William Gaddis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gaddis/) > [“The function of this school is custodial. It’s here to keep these kids off the streets until the girls are big enough to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gaddis/the-function-of-this-school-is-custodial-it-s-here-to-keep-these-kids/) [William Gaddis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gaddis/) > [“where would Christianity be today if Jesus had been given ten to twenty with time off for good behavior”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gaddis/where-would-christianity-be-today-if-jesus-had-been-given-ten-to/) [William Gaddis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gaddis/) > [I see the player piano as the grandfather of the computer, the ancestor of the entire nightmare we live in, the birth of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gaddis/i-see-the-player-piano-as-the-grandfather-of-the-computer-the/) [William Gaddis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gaddis/) > [“The ship's surgeon was a spotty unshaven little man whose clothes, arrayed with smudges, drippings, and cigarette burns, were held about him by an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gaddis/the-ship-s-surgeon-was-a-spotty-unshaven-little-man-whose-clothes/) [William Gaddis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gaddis/) [Explore all 87 William Gaddis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gaddis/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) [Christopher K. Krebs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-k-krebs/) > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. 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Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) [Markus Herz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-herz/) > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“-And there's this twelve thousand dollars item for books. -That supposed to be twelve hundred, the twelve thousand is for paper. towels. Besides there is already that bequest for the library. -Did it say books in so many words? No. It's just a bequest for the library. -Use it for pegboard. You need pegboard in a library. 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