“We measure the value of a civilized society by the number of Libraries it opens, not the number it closes down.”

“In a world without love, this is what people are to each other: values, benefits, and liabilities, numbers and data. We weigh, we quantify, we measure, and the soul is ground to dust.”

“Civilized nations build libraries; lands that have lost their soul close them down.”

“A library after closing is a lonely place. It is heart-poundingly silent, and the rows of shelves create an almost unfathomable number of dark and creepy corners.”

“It is true that we do not recognize greatness among us. Our measurements of importance are generally faulty and speak mainly to the superficialities of life, e.g., where one lives, the type of clothing one wears, the cars one drives, to the number of bodyguards that one employs to carry bags and open and close doors.”

“Remember that life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away!”