Bookshelf

Bookshelves are blocks that improve enchantments applied with an enchanting table when placed around one, up to a maximum of fifteen bookshelves, at the expense of level requirement.

Obtaining[]

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.

Breaking[]

Bookshelves can be broken fairly easily by hand, but can be broken faster by using 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 an item that is enchanted with Silk Touch, a bookshelf drops itself.

Block	Bookshelf
Hardness	1.5
Tool
Breaking time^[A]
Default	2.25
Wooden	1.15
Stone	0.6
Iron	0.4
Diamond	0.3
Netherite	0.25
Golden	0.2

↑ Times are for unenchanted tools as wielded by players with no status effects, measured in seconds. For more information, see Breaking § Speed.

Crafting[]

Ingredients	Crafting recipe
Any Planks + Book

Trading[]

Novice-level librarian villagers have a 50% chance to sell 1 bookshelf for 9 emeralds as part of their trades.‌^{[Bedrock Edition only]}

Novice-level librarian villagers have a ²⁄₃ chance to sell 1 bookshelf for 9 emeralds.‌^{[Java Edition only]}

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.

Crafting ingredient[]

Name	Ingredients	Crafting recipe
Lectern	Any wood Slab + Bookshelf

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[]

Bookshelf can be placed under note blocks to produce "bass" sounds.

Sounds[]

Java Edition:

Subtitles	Source	Description	Resource location	Translation key	Volume	Pitch	Attenuation distance
Block broken	Blocks	Once the block has broken	`block.wood.break`	`subtitles.block.generic.break`	1.0	0.8	16
Block placed	Blocks	When the block is placed	`block.wood.place`	`subtitles.block.generic.place`	1.0	0.8	16
Block breaking	Blocks	While the block is in the process of being broken	`block.wood.hit`	`subtitles.block.generic.hit`	0.25	0.5	16
None^{[sound 1]}	Entity-Dependent	Falling on the block with fall damage	`block.wood.fall`	None^{[sound 1]}	0.5	0.75	16
Footsteps	Entity-Dependent	Walking on the block	`block.wood.step`	`subtitles.block.generic.footsteps`	0.15	1.0	16

↑ ^a ^b MC-177082

Bedrock Edition:

Source	Description	Resource location	Volume	Pitch
Blocks	Once the block has broken	`dig.wood`	1.0	0.8-1.0
Blocks	When the block is placed	`dig.wood`	1.0	0.8
Blocks	While the block is in the process of being broken	`hit.wood`	0.23	0.5
Players	Falling on the block with fall damage	`fall.wood`	0.4	1.0
Players	Walking on the block	`step.wood`	0.3	1.0
Players	Jumping from the block	`jump.wood`	0.12	1.0
Players	Falling on the block without fall damage	`land.wood`	0.18	1.0

Data values[]

ID[]