Discover the Magic of Libraries in ‘The Library: A Fragile History’

“A library is a hospital for the mind.”

— Anonymous medieval proverb (15th–16th c.)

Recently, I was lolling at Barnes & Noble and browsing without purpose. I picked up a book that immediately got my attention. It was The Library: A Fragile History by Andrew Pettegree and Arthur der Weduwen. And friends, let me tell you—I’m smitten.

If you’re anything like me, libraries are more than just buildings filled with books. And if you’re an SCA scribe they’re magical spaces where words, art, and history come together. In some ways, they are the heart of our creations. Many of us recreate this when we sit down to make award scrolls with calligraphy and illuminated pages. When a book comes along that tells the entire story of libraries I stop and take notice. And this one tells it all from ancient clay tablets to Google-age libraries. This book does not disappoint.

A Book About Books 😀

Pettegree and der Weduwen dive deep into the history of libraries. They explore the grand, gilded ones of popes and princes. And they look at the modest community libraries and personal collections that quietly shaped the world. It’s a book full of fascinating characters. It offers astonishing facts. Best of all, it’s written in a way that doesn’t make your eyes glaze over.

As one reviewer put it, this is “rigorous but riveting history.” And yes, it’s all of that. You’ll find yourself marveling at how libraries have preserved knowledge. They did this while also facing destruction, rebirth, controversy, and reinvention repeatedly.

Sound familiar? It’s like how medieval scribes and modern reenactors both breathe new life into old arts.

Why Should Scribes Care?

Here are three reasons why I think The Library: A Fragile History is a must-read for SCA scribes:

• It reminds us that libraries, like manuscripts, are living things.
• It highlights the tension between preservation and access—something many of us face when we recreate medieval books and art.
• It’s packed with stories of book lovers, collectors, and monks. There are also tales of scholars and eccentrics—the same kinds of people we often portray in the SCA.

Plus, it makes you feel part of a long, glorious tradition. There are people who value the written word enough to copy it by hand. They illuminate it or simply protect it for future generations. Sound like anyone you know?

Should You Read It?

If you’ve ever spent time erasing pencil lines from a scroll border or you just love the smell of old books, this book was written for us. It’s part history, part love letter to libraries, and completely delightful.

If you need a little reading material between meetings or classes look for it. If you find yourself in need of reading during a quiet moment in camp, look for it. After all, where there are books, there will always be libraries. Hopefully, there will be a few scribes like us to keep the magic alive.