Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Thursday Thirteen 141: Libraries



Move over Cupid -- February is Library Lover's Month, with February Fourteenth designated as Library Lover's Day, a time for bibliophiles everywhere to revel in all things literary. Here are a few quotes about books and libraries to get us started!


Without libraries what have we? We have no past and no future.
~ Ray Bradbury

The library is the temple of learning, and learning has liberated more people than all the wars in history.
~ Carl T. Rowan

A library is not a luxury but one of the necessities of life.
~ Henry Ward Beecher

The only true equalisers in the world are books; the only treasure-house open to all comers is a library; the only wealth which will not decay is knowledge; the only jewel which you can carry beyond the grave is wisdom.
~ J. A. Langford

I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library.
~ Jorge Luis Borges

To those with ears to hear, libraries are really very noisy places. On their shelves we hear the captured voices of the centuries-old conversation that makes up our civilization.
~ Timothy Healy

My library was dukedom large enough.
~ William Shakespeare (The Tempest)

What is more important in a library than anything else - than everything else - is the fact that it exists.
~ Archibald MacLeish

Make thy books thy companions. Let thy cases and shelves be thy pleasure grounds and gardens.
~ Judah ibn-Tibbon (12th century)

To add a library to a house is to give that house a soul.
~ Cicero

Give thy mind to books and libraries, and the literature and lore of the ages will give thee the wisdom of sage and seer.
~ Newell D. Hillis

Good as it is to inherit a library, it is better to collect one.
~ Augustine Birrell

They are the books, the arts, the academes,
That show, contain and nourish all the world.
~ William Shakespeare (Love's Labour's Lost)




LINKS TO OTHER THURSDAY THIRTEENS:
(Please leave your link if this is your first visit!)

Desi * Alice Audrey * Shelley Munro * Hootin' Anni
Adelle Laudan * Bec * Ella Drake * Jennifer McKenzie
Sasha Devlin * Inez Kelley * Mary Quast * Jamie Babette
Jeanne St. James * Paige Tyler * Ms Menozzi
Harriet *IrishCoda * A. Catherine Noon * Elise Logan
Happily Retired Gal


More Thursday Thirteen participants



25 comments:

Americanising Desi said...

well said!

all of em!

Wife Resume

Alice Audrey said...

I knew there was some reason I favor books and smart people.

Shelley Munro said...

I totally agree. I've always used my local library and couldn't do without it.

Hootin Anni said...

I love the Rowan quote.

All tho, are excellent.

Come join me if you can...Mine is Thirteen CAT EXPRESSIONS...not photos, word expressions. Find it HERE. Have a wonderful day ahead.

Bec said...

I love the library! Just spent some time there yesterday!

Unknown said...

A few years back I lived in a wee town and right across the street from the library. Boy did I real alot of books then. I devoured them.
Great list. Happy T13!

Ella Drake said...

These are wonderful quotes. I especially like the one from Timothy Healy.

Jennifer Leeland said...

LOVE it!!!!!! These are great quotes.

Heather said...

Desi ~ Thank you! *g*

Alice ~ Aww...Thanks for thinking I'm smart! ;)

Shelley ~ I love our local libraries, too (though I confess to not having visited in a while).

Anni ~ That is one of my favorites listed here, too. Will definitely have to check out your cat post!

Heather said...

Bec ~ Horray for spending long hours at the library!

Adelle ~Growing up, we were always close enough to a library for my sisters and I to walk or ride our bikes there. We would go a couple times a week during the summer. I wish I were that close to one now!

Ella ~ Isn't that a good quote? Thanks for reading!

Jennifer ~ Thank you, glad you like! *VBG*

Inez Kelley said...

Sadly, so many are closing. cutting back and reducing service or hours.

Heather said...

Paige ~ Thank you! *G*

Inez ~ Yes, that does make me sad, especially as the ones that close are always in the areas that most need them. Thankfully, keeping libraries open here is one of our mayor's priorities.

Ms Menozzi said...

*breathes a satisfied sigh*

My students and I discussed libraries today, and they were surprised by the depths of my love for those places.

What did they expect from a lifetime writer/reader? LOL!

Beautiful list.

Heather said...

Ms M ~ Sadly, I do not think many people today truly appreciate libraries, their benefits to a community and the services provided. They're not just books anymore, but also movies, music, computers, help with job searches and filling out applications. There is still so much to be found at a library one cannot get online.

I am Harriet said...

Guess I need to head to the local library.

Happy Thursday!
http://iamharriet.blogspot.com/2010/02/i-would-like-to-re-assure-my-friends.html

Irishcoda said...

I didn't know there was such a thing as Library Day! I'm so glad I stopped by to read your T-13!

Heather said...

Harriet ~ Yes, get thee to the library! *G*

IrishCoda ~ Glad to enlighten and elate all at the same time. Glad you stopped by! :)

A. Catherine Noon said...

I love having a library, both public and my own private one. I love the smell of books and the way they fit in my hand. I love ebooks and the availability of publishing in the internet era.

My favorite book about literary education is Mortimer J. Adler's, How to Read a Book. I think it is a must-have for my library and I recommend it to anyone interested in learning about the canon and becoming educated in the way of Benjamin Franklin or DaVinci.

Thank you for such an inspiring TT!

Elise Logan said...

Fabulous quotes. Libraries are the backbone of an educated population, imho.

Mary Quast said...

I can't imagine life without a library. Not only do I go for the books but also to see my friends.

My teen son started a youth library at our church an it fills a whole room!

Sasha Devlin said...

I love libraries, and I'm lucky enough to live in a district where I have access to 3!

happily retired gal said...

Wonderful quotes about one of my favorite places (next to the beach) ... I'm with Jorge Luis Borges ;-)
Hugs and blessings,
Small Reflections

Heather said...

Catherine ~ I love libraries as well, and have an extensive private one. I probably have more books than all my neighbors combined!

Elise ~ In my opinion as well. Which is why it's deplorable that libraries are one of the first things affected in budget cuts.

Mary ~ Horray for your son! You have every right to be proud of him!

Sasha ~ Very lucky indeed! I have three on my side of town, I just don't live very close to any of them, more's the pity.

HRG ~ Libraries are among my favorite places, too! *g*

Anonymous said...

Great quotes. Love the one by Bradbury - I'd not seen that one before.

Babette James said...

Great quotes. I love libraries.