Setup · Ex Libris

Choose the player count, then tick steps off as you go. Ticks are kept on this device.

Shared components

Lay out the scoring reference tiles in this order: alphabetical order/shelf stability, prominent works, banned books, categorical variety/library focus. Set out the inspection form and location reference.
Place the Diviner’s Hut below the references. Shuffle the other location tiles into a face-down stack.
Shuffle the category cards; place one face up on Prominent Works and one face up on Banned Books. Give each player one secret Library Focus card.

Solo

For solo, use the ten solo-compatible locations, three Standard Assistants and one solo-compatible Special Assistant. Set up the Public Library and choose a difficulty; discard 1–7 cards from the deck to it each round according to the chosen level.

Each player

Choose a library tile and take three assistants of its color. In Standard mode, instead draw a Special Assistant card and take that assistant plus two matching Standard Assistants.

Starting hand

Shuffle all 152 book cards. Deal eight to each player; split the rest into two draw piles.

Shared components

Lay out the scoring reference tiles in this order: alphabetical order/shelf stability, prominent works, banned books, categorical variety/library focus. Set out the inspection form and location reference.
Place the Diviner’s Hut below the references. Shuffle the other location tiles into a face-down stack.
Shuffle the category cards; place one face up on Prominent Works and one face up on Banned Books. Give each player one secret Library Focus card.

Solo

For solo, use the ten solo-compatible locations, three Standard Assistants and one solo-compatible Special Assistant. Set up the Public Library and choose a difficulty; discard 1–7 cards from the deck to it each round according to the chosen level.

Each player

Choose a library tile and take three assistants of its color. In Standard mode, instead draw a Special Assistant card and take that assistant plus two matching Standard Assistants.

Starting hand

Shuffle all 152 book cards. Deal eight to each player; split the rest into two draw piles.

Shared components

Lay out the scoring reference tiles in this order: alphabetical order/shelf stability, prominent works, banned books, categorical variety/library focus. Set out the inspection form and location reference.
Place the Diviner’s Hut below the references. Shuffle the other location tiles into a face-down stack.
Give the first-player token to whoever most recently acquired a book.
Shuffle the category cards; place one face up on Prominent Works and one face up on Banned Books. Give each player one secret Library Focus card.

Each player

Choose a library tile and take three assistants of its color. In Standard mode, instead draw a Special Assistant card and take that assistant plus two matching Standard Assistants.

Starting hand

Shuffle all 152 book cards. Deal eight to each player; split the rest into two draw piles.

Shared components

Lay out the scoring reference tiles in this order: alphabetical order/shelf stability, prominent works, banned books, categorical variety/library focus. Set out the inspection form and location reference.
Place the Diviner’s Hut below the references. Shuffle the other location tiles into a face-down stack.
Give the first-player token to whoever most recently acquired a book.
Shuffle the category cards; place one face up on Prominent Works and one face up on Banned Books. Give each player one secret Library Focus card.

Each player

Choose a library tile and take three assistants of its color. In Standard mode, instead draw a Special Assistant card and take that assistant plus two matching Standard Assistants.

Starting hand

Shuffle all 152 book cards. Deal eight to each player; split the rest into two draw piles.

Shared components

Lay out the scoring reference tiles in this order: alphabetical order/shelf stability, prominent works, banned books, categorical variety/library focus. Set out the inspection form and location reference.
Place the Diviner’s Hut below the references. Shuffle the other location tiles into a face-down stack.
Give the first-player token to whoever most recently acquired a book.
Shuffle the category cards; place one face up on Prominent Works and one face up on Banned Books. Give each player one secret Library Focus card.

Each player

Choose a library tile and take three assistants of its color. In Standard mode, instead draw a Special Assistant card and take that assistant plus two matching Standard Assistants.

Starting hand

Shuffle all 152 book cards. Deal eight to each player; split the rest into two draw piles.

Shared components

Lay out the scoring reference tiles in this order: alphabetical order/shelf stability, prominent works, banned books, categorical variety/library focus. Set out the inspection form and location reference.
Place the Diviner’s Hut below the references. Shuffle the other location tiles into a face-down stack.
Give the first-player token to whoever most recently acquired a book.
Shuffle the category cards; place one face up on Prominent Works and one face up on Banned Books. Give each player one secret Library Focus card.

Each player

Choose a library tile and take three assistants of its color. In Standard mode, instead draw a Special Assistant card and take that assistant plus two matching Standard Assistants.

Starting hand

Shuffle all 152 book cards. Deal eight to each player; split the rest into two draw piles.

Shared components

Lay out the scoring reference tiles in this order: alphabetical order/shelf stability, prominent works, banned books, categorical variety/library focus. Set out the inspection form and location reference.
Place the Diviner’s Hut below the references. Shuffle the other location tiles into a face-down stack.
Give the first-player token to whoever most recently acquired a book.
Shuffle the category cards; place one face up on Prominent Works and one face up on Banned Books. Give each player one secret Library Focus card.

Each player

Choose a library tile and take three assistants of its color. In Standard mode, instead draw a Special Assistant card and take that assistant plus two matching Standard Assistants.

Starting hand

Shuffle all 152 book cards. Deal eight to each player; split the rest into two draw piles.

Shared components

Lay out the scoring reference tiles in this order: alphabetical order/shelf stability, prominent works, banned books, categorical variety/library focus. Set out the inspection form and location reference.
Place the Diviner’s Hut below the references. Shuffle the other location tiles into a face-down stack.
Give the first-player token to whoever most recently acquired a book.
Shuffle the category cards; place one face up on Prominent Works and one face up on Banned Books. Give each player one secret Library Focus card.

Each player

Choose a library tile and take three assistants of its color. In Standard mode, instead draw a Special Assistant card and take that assistant plus two matching Standard Assistants.

Starting hand

Shuffle all 152 book cards. Deal eight to each player; split the rest into two draw piles.

Shared components

Lay out the scoring reference tiles in this order: alphabetical order/shelf stability, prominent works, banned books, categorical variety/library focus. Set out the inspection form and location reference.
Place the Diviner’s Hut below the references. Shuffle the other location tiles into a face-down stack.
Give the first-player token to whoever most recently acquired a book.
Shuffle the category cards; place one face up on Prominent Works and one face up on Banned Books. Give each player one secret Library Focus card.

Each player

Choose a library tile and take three assistants of its color. In Standard mode, instead draw a Special Assistant card and take that assistant plus two matching Standard Assistants.

Starting hand

Shuffle all 152 book cards. Deal eight to each player; split the rest into two draw piles.

Shared components

Lay out the scoring reference tiles in this order: alphabetical order/shelf stability, prominent works, banned books, categorical variety/library focus. Set out the inspection form and location reference.
Place the Diviner’s Hut below the references. Shuffle the other location tiles into a face-down stack.
Give the first-player token to whoever most recently acquired a book.
Shuffle the category cards; place one face up on Prominent Works and one face up on Banned Books. Give each player one secret Library Focus card.

Each player

Choose a library tile and take three assistants of its color. In Standard mode, instead draw a Special Assistant card and take that assistant plus two matching Standard Assistants.

Starting hand

Shuffle all 152 book cards. Deal eight to each player; split the rest into two draw piles.