Why there are chains hanging from the book shelves in libraries

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What is the purpose of chains hanging from the book shelves of libraries in the Citadel and Castle Black in Game of Thrones?

plot-explanation game-of-thrones

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edited 31 mins ago

Paulie_D

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  Possible duplicate of What is the purpose of the chains hanging from the shelves at the Citadel?
  – Ankit Sharma
  14 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Definitely a duplicate, the answer on the other question even uses the same paragraph from wikipedia that my answer does.
  – sanpaco
  4 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

up vote
2
down vote

favorite

What is the purpose of chains hanging from the book shelves of libraries in the Citadel and Castle Black in Game of Thrones?

plot-explanation game-of-thrones

share|improve this question

edited 31 mins ago

Paulie_D

78k15275264

asked 1 hour ago

user17948

112

New contributor

user17948 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Possible duplicate of What is the purpose of the chains hanging from the shelves at the Citadel?
  – Ankit Sharma
  14 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Definitely a duplicate, the answer on the other question even uses the same paragraph from wikipedia that my answer does.
  – sanpaco
  4 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

up vote
2
down vote

favorite

up vote
2
down vote

favorite

What is the purpose of chains hanging from the book shelves of libraries in the Citadel and Castle Black in Game of Thrones?

plot-explanation game-of-thrones

share|improve this question

edited 31 mins ago

Paulie_D

78k15275264

asked 1 hour ago

user17948

112

New contributor

user17948 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

What is the purpose of chains hanging from the book shelves of libraries in the Citadel and Castle Black in Game of Thrones?

plot-explanation game-of-thrones

plot-explanation game-of-thrones

share|improve this question

edited 31 mins ago

Paulie_D

78k15275264

asked 1 hour ago

user17948

112

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user17948 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

share|improve this question

edited 31 mins ago

Paulie_D

78k15275264

asked 1 hour ago

user17948

112

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user17948 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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share|improve this question

share|improve this question

edited 31 mins ago

Paulie_D

78k15275264

edited 31 mins ago

Paulie_D

78k15275264

edited 31 mins ago

Paulie_D

78k15275264

78k15275264

asked 1 hour ago

user17948

112

New contributor

user17948 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

asked 1 hour ago

user17948

112

asked 1 hour ago

user17948

112

112

New contributor

user17948 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

New contributor

user17948 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

user17948 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Possible duplicate of What is the purpose of the chains hanging from the shelves at the Citadel?
  – Ankit Sharma
  14 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Definitely a duplicate, the answer on the other question even uses the same paragraph from wikipedia that my answer does.
  – sanpaco
  4 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Possible duplicate of What is the purpose of the chains hanging from the shelves at the Citadel?
  – Ankit Sharma
  14 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Definitely a duplicate, the answer on the other question even uses the same paragraph from wikipedia that my answer does.
  – sanpaco
  4 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

2

2

Possible duplicate of What is the purpose of the chains hanging from the shelves at the Citadel?
– Ankit Sharma
14 mins ago

Possible duplicate of What is the purpose of the chains hanging from the shelves at the Citadel?
– Ankit Sharma
14 mins ago

Definitely a duplicate, the answer on the other question even uses the same paragraph from wikipedia that my answer does.
– sanpaco
4 mins ago

Definitely a duplicate, the answer on the other question even uses the same paragraph from wikipedia that my answer does.
– sanpaco
4 mins ago

add a comment | 

1 Answer
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To Prevent Theft

This is an example of a "chained library". These originated in the Middle Ages, which is the time period Game of Thrones is inspired by or patterned off of. The purpose was to keep books from being stolen and was typically only done on more valuable books.

A chained library is a library where the books are attached to their bookcase by a chain, which is sufficiently long to allow the books to be taken from their shelves and read, but not removed from the library itself. This would prevent theft of the library's materials. However, it also led to crowding and awkwardness when readers had to stand side by side, each holding a book or clumping so they could share one. The practice was usual for reference libraries (that is, the vast majority of libraries) from the Middle Ages to approximately the 18th century. However, since the chaining process was also expensive, it was not used on all books. Only the more valuable books in a collection were chained. This included reference books and large books.


_{Wikipedia article "Chained libraries"}

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answered 44 mins ago

sanpaco

15.7k1069145

• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  an aside to Terry Pratchett... where books are chained down to prevent them escaping ;-)
  – Tetsujin
  37 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

1 Answer
1

active

oldest

votes

1 Answer
1

active

oldest

votes

active

oldest

votes

active

oldest

votes

up vote
5
down vote

To Prevent Theft

This is an example of a "chained library". These originated in the Middle Ages, which is the time period Game of Thrones is inspired by or patterned off of. The purpose was to keep books from being stolen and was typically only done on more valuable books.

A chained library is a library where the books are attached to their bookcase by a chain, which is sufficiently long to allow the books to be taken from their shelves and read, but not removed from the library itself. This would prevent theft of the library's materials. However, it also led to crowding and awkwardness when readers had to stand side by side, each holding a book or clumping so they could share one. The practice was usual for reference libraries (that is, the vast majority of libraries) from the Middle Ages to approximately the 18th century. However, since the chaining process was also expensive, it was not used on all books. Only the more valuable books in a collection were chained. This included reference books and large books.


_{Wikipedia article "Chained libraries"}

share|improve this answer

answered 44 mins ago

sanpaco

15.7k1069145

• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  an aside to Terry Pratchett... where books are chained down to prevent them escaping ;-)
  – Tetsujin
  37 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

up vote
5
down vote

To Prevent Theft

This is an example of a "chained library". These originated in the Middle Ages, which is the time period Game of Thrones is inspired by or patterned off of. The purpose was to keep books from being stolen and was typically only done on more valuable books.

A chained library is a library where the books are attached to their bookcase by a chain, which is sufficiently long to allow the books to be taken from their shelves and read, but not removed from the library itself. This would prevent theft of the library's materials. However, it also led to crowding and awkwardness when readers had to stand side by side, each holding a book or clumping so they could share one. The practice was usual for reference libraries (that is, the vast majority of libraries) from the Middle Ages to approximately the 18th century. However, since the chaining process was also expensive, it was not used on all books. Only the more valuable books in a collection were chained. This included reference books and large books.


_{Wikipedia article "Chained libraries"}

share|improve this answer

answered 44 mins ago

sanpaco

15.7k1069145

• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  an aside to Terry Pratchett... where books are chained down to prevent them escaping ;-)
  – Tetsujin
  37 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

up vote
5
down vote

up vote
5
down vote

To Prevent Theft

This is an example of a "chained library". These originated in the Middle Ages, which is the time period Game of Thrones is inspired by or patterned off of. The purpose was to keep books from being stolen and was typically only done on more valuable books.

A chained library is a library where the books are attached to their bookcase by a chain, which is sufficiently long to allow the books to be taken from their shelves and read, but not removed from the library itself. This would prevent theft of the library's materials. However, it also led to crowding and awkwardness when readers had to stand side by side, each holding a book or clumping so they could share one. The practice was usual for reference libraries (that is, the vast majority of libraries) from the Middle Ages to approximately the 18th century. However, since the chaining process was also expensive, it was not used on all books. Only the more valuable books in a collection were chained. This included reference books and large books.


_{Wikipedia article "Chained libraries"}

share|improve this answer

answered 44 mins ago

sanpaco

15.7k1069145

To Prevent Theft

This is an example of a "chained library". These originated in the Middle Ages, which is the time period Game of Thrones is inspired by or patterned off of. The purpose was to keep books from being stolen and was typically only done on more valuable books.

A chained library is a library where the books are attached to their bookcase by a chain, which is sufficiently long to allow the books to be taken from their shelves and read, but not removed from the library itself. This would prevent theft of the library's materials. However, it also led to crowding and awkwardness when readers had to stand side by side, each holding a book or clumping so they could share one. The practice was usual for reference libraries (that is, the vast majority of libraries) from the Middle Ages to approximately the 18th century. However, since the chaining process was also expensive, it was not used on all books. Only the more valuable books in a collection were chained. This included reference books and large books.


_{Wikipedia article "Chained libraries"}

share|improve this answer

answered 44 mins ago

sanpaco

15.7k1069145

share|improve this answer

share|improve this answer

answered 44 mins ago

sanpaco

15.7k1069145

answered 44 mins ago

sanpaco

15.7k1069145

answered 44 mins ago

sanpaco

15.7k1069145

15.7k1069145

• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  an aside to Terry Pratchett... where books are chained down to prevent them escaping ;-)
  – Tetsujin
  37 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  an aside to Terry Pratchett... where books are chained down to prevent them escaping ;-)
  – Tetsujin
  37 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

2

2

an aside to Terry Pratchett... where books are chained down to prevent them escaping ;-)
– Tetsujin
37 mins ago

an aside to Terry Pratchett... where books are chained down to prevent them escaping ;-)
– Tetsujin
37 mins ago

add a comment |