Bookshelf

| Renewable |
Yes |
|---|---|
| Stackable |
Yes (64) |
| Tool | |
| Blast resistance |
1.5 |
| Hardness |
1.5 |
| Luminous |
No |
| Transparent |
No |
| Flammable |
Yes (30) |
| Catches fire from lava |
Yes |
| Map color (JE) |
|
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"label": "Tool"
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{
"field": "1.5",
"label": "(link to Explosion#Blast resistance article, displayed as Blast resistance)"
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{
"field": "1.5",
"label": "(link to Breaking#Blocks by hardness article, displayed as Hardness)"
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{
"field": "No",
"label": "(link to Light article, displayed as Luminous)"
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{
"field": "No",
"label": "(link to Opacity article, displayed as Transparent)"
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{
"field": "Yes (30)",
"label": "(link to Flammable article, displayed as Flammable)"
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{
"field": "Yes",
"label": "Catches fire<br>from (link to lava article, displayed as lava)"
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"label": "(link to Map color article, displayed as Map color) <small>((link to Java Edition article, displayed as ''JE''))</small>"
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"invimages": [
"Bookshelf"
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"images": [
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A bookshelf is a block that improves enchantments applied with an enchanting table when placed around one, up to a maximum of fifteen bookshelves, at the expense of level requirement.
Obtaining
Breaking
Bookshelves can be mined by hand, but are broken faster with an axe. In either case, they drop 3 books when broken, allowing the reconstruction of the bookshelf with the addition of six wood planks. When broken by a tool enchanted with Silk Touch, a bookshelf drops itself.
| Block | ||
|---|---|---|
| Hardness | 1.5 | |
| Tool | ||
| Breaking time (sec)[A] | ||
| Default | 2.25 | |
| 1.15 | ||
| 0.6 | ||
|
0.45 | |
| 0.4 | ||
| 0.3 | ||
| 0.25 | ||
| 0.2 | ||
- incorrect tool, drops nothing
- correct tool, drops nothing or something other than the block itself
- correct tool, drops the block itself
- italicized can be instant mined
- ↑ These durations ignore other influential factors (e.g. Mining Fatigue), and are measured in seconds. For more information, see Breaking § Speed.
Natural generation
Bookshelves can generate in village libraries and sometimes village houses.
Strongholds may contain up to two libraries, each of which may be single-level or have an upper balcony. These feature some bookshelves arranged in pillars, and more bookshelves arranged in pillars in the walls. Single-level libraries contain 161 bookshelves, while libraries with balconies contain 233.
Bookshelves also naturally generate in certain woodland mansion rooms. Various rooms can have between 1-24 bookshelves, while the "large library" room contains 180.
Crafting
| Ingredients | Crafting recipe |
|---|---|
| Any Planks + Book |
Trading
| Villager | Probability | Villager wants | Player receives | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JE | BE | |||
| 67% | 50% | 9 × | ||
Usage
Enchanting
If an enchanting table is placed near a bookshelf, glyph particles fly from the bookshelf toward the enchanting table. Having bookshelves in the proper position near the table allows the table to apply higher-level enchantments.
Fifteen bookshelves need to be near an enchanting table to gain level 30 enchantments.
Crafting ingredient
| Name | Ingredients | Crafting recipe |
|---|---|---|
| Lectern | Any Wooden Slab + |
Fuel
Bookshelves can be used as a fuel in furnaces, smelting 1.5 items per block.
Villager
Librarian villagers can interact with bookshelves.
Note Blocks
Bookshelves can be placed under note blocks to produce "bass" sounds.
Sounds
wood sound type | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sound | Subtitles | Source | Description | Resource location | Translation key | Volume | Pitch | Attenuation distance |
| Block broken | Blocks | Once the block has broken | block | subtitles | 1.0 | 0.8 | 16 | |
| Block placed | Blocks | When the block is placed | block | subtitles | 1.0 | 0.8 | 16 | |
| Block breaking | Blocks | While the block is in the process of being broken | block | subtitles | 0.25 | 0.5 | 16 | |
| Something falls on a block | Entity-Dependent | Falling on the block with fall damage | block | subtitles | 0.5 | 0.75 | 16 | |
| Footsteps | Entity-Dependent | Walking on the block | block | subtitles | 0.15 | 1.0 | 16 | |
wood sound type | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sound | Source | Description | Resource location | Volume | Pitch |
| Blocks | Once the block has broken | dig | 1.0 | 0.8-1.0 | |
| Blocks | When the block is placed | dig | 1.0 | 0.8 | |
| Blocks | While the block is in the process of being broken | hit | 0.23 | 0.5 | |
| Players | Falling on the block with fall damage | fall | 0.4 | 1.0 | |
| Players | Walking on the block | step | 0.3 | 1.0 | |
| Blocks | Jumping from the block | jump | 0.12 | 1.0 | |
| Blocks | Falling on the block without fall damage | land | 0.18 | 1.0 | |
Data values
ID
| Name | Identifier | Form | Block tags | Translation key |
|---|---|---|---|---|
bookshelf | Block & Item | mineable/axe | block |
| Name | Identifier | Numeric ID | Form | Item ID[i 1] | Translation key |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
bookshelf | 47 | Block & Giveable Item[i 2] | Identical[i 3] | tile |
Achievements
| Icon | Achievement | In-game description | Actual requirements (if different) | Gamerscore earned | Trophy type (PS) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PS4 | Other | ||||||
| Librarian | Build some bookshelves to improve your enchantment table. | Pick up a bookshelf from a crafting table output. | 20 | Bronze | |||
Video
History
| Java Edition Classic | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 24, 2009 | Bookshelves were teased by Notch. | ||||||
| 0.26 SURVIVAL TEST | |||||||
| Bookshelves are currently impossible to obtain without loading a pre-edited map. | |||||||
| Bookshelves are currently destroyed in explosions. | |||||||
| When bookshelves are broken, they currently do not drop anything. | |||||||
| 0.28 | Bookshelves can now be freely placed. | ||||||
| Java Edition Alpha | |||||||
| v1.0.11 | Bookshelves can now be crafted from 3 books and 6 planks. | ||||||
| v1.0.14 (Orignial) | Bookshelves can now be also be crafted from the Jukebox crafting repice. | ||||||
| v1.0.14 (Reuploaded) | Bookshelves can now be no longer also be crafted from the Jukebox crafting repice. | ||||||
| Java Edition Beta | |||||||
| 1.8 | Pre-release | Bookshelves can now be found generated in libraries in villages, and libraries in strongholds. | |||||
| Java Edition | |||||||
| 1.0.0 | Beta 1.9 Prerelease 3 | Bookshelves now drop 3 books when broken by a non-Silk Touch item. | |||||
| They are now necessary to enchant with higher levels for better enchanted items. | |||||||
| The number of bookshelves required to reach the maximum enchantment level is 30. | |||||||
| Beta 1.9 Prerelease 5 | |||||||
| 1.2.4 | release | Spruce planks, birch planks, and jungle planks can now be used to craft bookshelves. | |||||
| 1.3.1 | 12w21a | Librarian villagers now sell 1 bookshelf for 3 emeralds. | |||||
| 12w22a | The number of bookshelves required to reach the maximum enchantment level has been now decreased to 15. | ||||||
| 1.7.2 | 1.7 | Acacia planks and dark oak planks can now be used to craft bookshelves. | |||||
| 1.8 | 14w02a | Librarian villagers now sell 1 bookshelf for 3–4 emeralds. | |||||
| 1.11 | 16w39a | Bookshelves now generate in woodland mansions. | |||||
| 1.14 | 18w43a | ||||||
| 18w47a | |||||||
| 19w02a | Bookshelves can now be used to craft lecterns. | ||||||
| 19w11a | Librarian villagers now sell 1 bookshelf for 9 emeralds. | ||||||
| 1.16 | 20w06a | Crimson planks and warped planks can now be used to craft bookshelves. | |||||
| 1.19 | 22w11a | Mangrove planks can now be used to craft bookshelves. | |||||
| 1.19.3 Experiment | 22w42a | Bamboo planks can now be used to craft bookshelves. | |||||
| 1.19.4 Experiment | 23w07a | Cherry planks can now be used to craft bookshelves. | |||||
| Pocket Edition Alpha | |||||||
| v0.2.0 | |||||||
| v0.2.1 | Bookshelves are currently obtainable only in Creative mode. | ||||||
| v0.3.0 | Bookshelves are now obtainable in Survival mode. | ||||||
| v0.9.0 | build 1 | Bookshelves now naturally spawn in strongholds and villages. | |||||
| v0.12.1 | build 1 | Bookshelves can now be used to increase enchantment table levels. | |||||
| Bookshelves can now be obtained by using a tool with the Silk Touch enchantment. | |||||||
| Pocket Edition | |||||||
| 1.0.4 | alpha 1.0.4.0 | Librarian villagers now sell 1 bookshelf for 3-4 emeralds as their second tier trade. | |||||
| 1.1.0 | alpha 1.1.0.0 | Bookshelves now generate in woodland mansions. | |||||
| Bedrock Edition | |||||||
| 1.10.0 | beta 1.10.0.3 | Bookshelves can now be used to craft lecterns. | |||||
| Bookshelves now get inspected by librarian villagers. | |||||||
| 1.11.0 | beta 1.11.0.4 | Trading has now been changed, librarian villagers now have a 50% chance to sell a bookshelf for 6 emeralds as part of their first trade. | |||||
| Legacy Console Edition | |||||||
| Xbox 360 | Xbox One | PS3 | PS4 | PS Vita | Wii U | Switch | |
| TU1 | CU1 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | Patch 1 | 1.0.1 | |
| TU3 | |||||||
| TU5 | Bookshelves can now be found generated in libraries in villages, and libraries in strongholds. | ||||||
| TU14 | 1.04 | Librarian villagers now sell 1 bookshelf for 3 emeralds. | |||||
| TU31 | CU19 | 1.22 | 1.22 | 1.22 | Patch 3 | Librarian villagers now sell 1 bookshelf for 3–4 emeralds. | |
| TU54 | CU44 | 1.52 | 1.52 | 1.52 | Patch 24 | 1.0.4 | Bookshelves now generate in woodland mansions. |
| 1.90 | |||||||
| 1.91 | Trading has now been changed, librarian villagers now have a chance to sell a bookshelf for 6 emeralds as part of their first trade. | ||||||
| New Nintendo 3DS Edition | |||||||
| 0.1.0 | |||||||
| 1.9.19 | Bookshelves now generate in woodland mansions. | ||||||
Data history
| Java Edition | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8 | 14w06a | Bookshelves now use the newly-implemented model json file models/block/cube.json; previously the geometry was defined in the game code itself. | |||||
| 1.13 | 17w47a | Prior to The Flattening, this block's numeral ID was 47. | |||||
Issues
Issues relating to "Bookshelf" are maintained on the bug tracker. Issues should be reported and viewed there.
Trivia
- Bookshelves' top and bottom textures by default use the same texture as oak planks.
- A bookshelf is the icon for Minecraft Education.
Gallery
Screenshots
-
Naturally occurring bookshelves in a village. (Before Village & Pillage). -
Naturally occurring bookshelves in a stronghold. -

-
Bookshelves powering an enchanting table.
See Also
External links
- Block of the Week: Bookshelf – Minecraft.net on December 16, 2016