Librarian Sayings and Quotes

Below you will find our collection of inspirational, wise, and humorous old librarian quotes, librarian sayings, and librarian proverbs, collected over the years from a variety of sources.

Libraries are a hallmark of a civilized culture, and librarians represent that culture to all facets of society. Janis Ian
Librarians hoard the wisdom of humanity. They are the keepers of all knowledge, the guardians at the temples of understanding and devoted protectors of the sanctuary in the midst of uneducated anarchy. Stephen Colbert
Librarians are the secret masters of the world. They control information. Don't ever piss one off. Spider Robinson
Come take choice of all my library, and so beguile thy sorrow. William Shakespeare
The firt thing to have in a library is a shelf. From time to time this can be decorated with literature. But the shelf is the main thing. Filey Peter Dunne
The student has his Rome , his whole glowing Italy, within the four walls of his library. He has in his books the ruins of an antique world and the glories of a modern one. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
America's libraries are the fruits of a great democracy. They exist because we believe that memory and truth are important. Robert S. Martin
The librarian of today, and it will be true still more of the librarians of tomorrow, are not fiery dragons interposed between the people and the books. They are useful public servants, who manage libraries in the interest of the public. Sir William Osler
Many still think that a great reader, or a writer of books, will make an excellent librarian. This is pure fallacy. Sir William Osler
A truly great library contains something in it to offend everyone. Jo Godwin
Librarians wield unfathomable power. With a flip of the wrist they can hide your dissertation behind piles of old Field and Stream magazines. Erica Olsen
People become librarians because they know too muc. Their knowledge extends beyond mere categories. Erica Olsen
Librarians are all knowing and all-seeing. They bring order to chaos. They bring wisdom and culture to the masses. Erica Olsen
They preserve every aspect of human knowledge. Librarians rule. Erica Olsen
If librarianship is the connecting of people to ideas and I believe that is the truest definition of what we do. It is crucial to remember that we must keep and make available, not just good ideas and noble ideas, but bad ideas, silly ideas, and yes, even dangerous and wicked ideas. Graceanne Decandido
Don't join the book burners. Don't think you're going to conceal faults by concealing evidence that they never existed. Don't be afraid to go in your library and ready every book. Dwight Eisenhower
My two favorite things in life are libraries and bicycles. They both move people forward without wasting anything. Peter Golkin
A good library is a place, a palace where the lofty spirits of all nations and generations meet. Samuel Niger
If this nation is to be wise as well as strong, if we are to achieve our destiny, then we need more new ideas for more wise men reading more good books in more public libraries. John F Kennedy
The library is the temple of learning, and learning has liberated more people than all the wars in history. Carl Rowan
I thought I'd be a librarian until I met some crazy ones. Edward Gorey
For the location of a mislaid volume, an uncatalogued item, your good librarian has a ferret's nose. Catherine Drinker Bowen
Our whole American way of life is a great war of ideas and librarians are the arms dealers selling weapons to both sides. James Quinn
From his refined accent, quiet voice and apparent omniscience, I took him for a librarian. George Orwell
Without libraries what have we? We have on past and no future. Ray Bradbury
Reference librarians are a library's eyes and ears. Charles W. Bailey Jr.
Librarians like to be given trouble; they exist for it, they are geared to it. Catherine Drinker Bowen
Librarians are just like search engines, except they smile and they talk to me and they don't give me paid-for advertising when they are trying to help. Matt Haig