How to Make a Bookshelf in Minecraft

Bookshelves are decorative Minecraft blocks that also serve a useful purpose. The bookshelf recipe calls for books and wood planks, but you don't have to craft one yourself. This block is great for decorating your house if you want to build a library or study, but it can also power up your enchanting table.

How to Obtain Bookshelves in Minecraft

There are three ways to obtain bookshelves in Minecraft:

• Crafting: This method requires a supply of books and wood planks. Books can be crafted from paper and leather, while wood planks are crafted from logs.
• Exploration: Bookshelves are found in villages and strongholds.
• Trading: Librarian villagers will give you bookshelves in exchange for emeralds.

How to Make a Bookshelf in Minecraft

The easiest way to obtain bookshelves in Minecraft is to craft them, although it can be tedious due to the required ingredients. The Minecraft Bookshelf recipe requires three books and six wood planks. To make a single book, you need three pieces of paper and one leather, and paper is crafted in sets of three, requiring three sugarcane per craft.

Here are the materials you’ll need to make a single bookshelf, including the prerequisite materials if you’re starting from scratch:

• Books x3 (Sugarcane x9, Leather x3)
• Planks x6 (Log x2)

Here’s how to craft a bookshelf in Minecraft:

1. Open the crafting table interface.

2. Place three wood planks in the top row, three books in the middle row, and three wood planks in the bottom row.

3. Move the bookshelf from the crafting interface to your inventory.

How to Make a Book in Minecraft

If you don’t already have books, you’ll have to find or craft them. Mining a bookshelf out in the world will yield books if you don’t have the silk touch enchantment. You can make them with the base ingredients of sugarcane and leather.

Here's how to make a book in Minecraft:

1. Open the crafting table interface.

2. Place three sugarcane in the middle row.

3. Move the paper to your inventory.

4. Place two papers in the middle row, then place one paper and one leather in the bottom row.

5. Move the book to your inventory.

How to Find Bookshelves in Minecraft

You need a lot of bookshelves if you want to power up your crafting table to the maximum level, which translates to a whole lot of sugarcane and leather to make all that paper and bind it together. While you’re out exploring, you may get lucky and run into some bookshelves.

Here’s where you’ll find bookshelves in Minecraft:

• Village libraries
• Village houses
• Strongholds

Here’s how to find bookshelves in Minecraft:

1. Locate a village or stronghold.

   To easily find a Stronghold, destroy an Enderman and a Blaze, and craft an Eye of Ender with an Ender Pearl and Blaze Powder. Throwing an Ender Eye in the air will lead you to the nearest Stronghold.

2. Locate a library within the village or stronghold.

3. Mine the bookshelves.

4. If using a regular pickaxe, gather the books and craft them into bookshelves.

5. If using a pickaxe with the silk touch enchantment, gather the bookshelves.

How to Trade for Bookshelves in Minecraft

In Minecraft, villages are populated with NPC villagers that will trade with you. Each villager trades different items based on their profession, and a librarian villager will trade bookshelves. You can also just mine and take their bookshelves if they have a library, as there is no repercussion for stealing from a villager.

Here's how to trade for bookshelves in Minecraft:

1. Locate a village.

2. Locate a librarian villager.

3. Trade with the villager.

   Depending on the version of Minecraft you’re using, there is a 50 - 67 percent chance they will offer this trade. If they aren't offering bookshelves, either destroy their lectern and replace it, or look for a different librarian.

4. When you find a librarian that's offering bookshelves, execute the trade.