“Facts and information are the nourishment, the lifeblood, the raison d'etre, and also the bane and despair of librarians and researchers.”

“Eliza's constant harping didn't even get to Martha, although it sometimes seemed that Eliza's raison d'etre was to urinate on Martha's parade.”

“Why was it librarians had such a prim image? With all the information available in books right there at their fingertips, librarians could be the best-informed people around. About anything.”

“Each alter personality had a common goal and raison d'etre, namely my survival. They didn't all realize that though, and so were at odds with each other much of the time. So I continued to be fragmented and divided.”

“I just don't understand why some people think that every book you read ought to be "improving". No one goes to the cinema with the sole aim of having their mind expanded – entertainment is a fine raison d'etre for films so why not books?”

“Librarians consider free access to information the foundation of democracy.”