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When using Library (or more generally any draw-to-X card) as your primary draw, your approach to various archetypes of cards changes. Generally speaking, Action [[stop card]]s become much more attractive, as their biggest disadvantage (that they don’t draw) is less of a concern because playing them first then allows your Library to draw more. Library therefore works well with villages that don’t draw cards (e.g. {{Card|Festival}})—while you lose some reliability compared to {{Card|Village}}, you lose no drawing power overall. It also negates the downside of discard-for-benefit cards; for example, discarding with {{Card|Artificer}} leaves you with a smaller hand size, but playing Library afterwards voids this downside. Additionally, if you can decrease your hand size any other way (e.g., by first playing a payload stop card such as {{Card|Vassal}} or a [[trash for benefit]] card such as {{Card|Remodel}}), your Library can draw even more cards. Treasures, on the other hand, are much worse payload with Library, since they can't generally be played until the Buy phase, so they are stuck taking up space in your hand (although some cards change this, notably {{Card|Villa}} and {{Card|Black Market}}). For the same reason, [[trash]]ing your starting cards (e.g., via {{Card|Chapel}}) can greatly improve the efficacy of a draw-to-X deck, although it’s sometimes possible to use sifting effects such as {{Card|Cellar}} as a substitute for this. Library also partially counters [[handsize attack|discarding attacks]] such as {{Card|Militia}}. The flip side of this is that there is a hard limit on your hand size if you are just using Library for draw, so multiple copies don’t stack unless you can decrease your hand size between playing them (similarly, using {{Card|Throne Room}} to play Library is much less desirable than using it to play {{Card|Smithy}}).  
When using Library (or more generally any draw-to-X card) as your primary draw, your approach to various archetypes of cards changes. Generally speaking, Action [[stop card]]s become much more attractive, as their biggest disadvantage (that they don’t draw) is less of a concern because playing them first then allows your Library to draw more. Library therefore works well with villages that don’t draw cards (e.g. {{Card|Festival}})—while you lose some reliability compared to {{Card|Village}}, you lose no drawing power overall. It also negates the downside of discard-for-benefit cards; for example, discarding with {{Card|Artificer}} leaves you with a smaller hand size, but playing Library afterwards voids this downside. Additionally, if you can decrease your hand size any other way (e.g., by first playing a payload stop card such as {{Card|Vassal}} or a [[trash for benefit]] card such as {{Card|Remodel}}), your Library can draw even more cards. Treasures, on the other hand, are much worse payload with Library, since they can't generally be played until the Buy phase, so they are stuck taking up space in your hand (although some cards change this, notably {{Card|Villa}} and {{Card|Black Market}}). For the same reason, [[trash]]ing your starting cards (e.g., via {{Card|Chapel}}) can greatly improve the efficacy of a draw-to-X deck, although it’s sometimes possible to use sifting effects such as {{Card|Cellar}} as a substitute for this. Library also partially counters [[handsize attack|discarding attacks]] such as {{Card|Militia}}. The flip side of this is that there is a hard limit on your hand size if you are just using Library for draw, so multiple copies don’t stack unless you can decrease your hand size between playing them (similarly, using {{Card|Throne Room}} to play Library is much less desirable than using it to play {{Card|Smithy}}).  
   
   
The option to skip Action cards when drawing with Library is rarely very impactful, because these are usually the cards that you most want to draw and play. The effect is occasionally useful, however: it may allow you to skip useless Action cards such as {{Card|Ruins}}, avoid [[collision|terminal collision]] or drawing Actions [[dead]] if you have limited remaining [[terminal space]], or sift through your deck for a key card that you specifically want to play, such as a village, [[Attack]], or {{Card|Travellers|Traveller}}.
The option to skip Action cards when drawing with Library is rarely very impactful, because these are usually the cards that you most want to draw and play. The effect is occasionally useful, however: it may allow you to skip useless Action cards such as {{Card|Ruins}}, avoid [[collision|terminal collision]] or drawing Actions [[dead]] if you have limited remaining [[terminal space]], or sift through your deck for a key card that you specifically want to play, such as a village, [[Attack]], or {{Card|Traveller|file=Travellers}}.


===External strategy articles===
===External strategy articles===

Latest revision as of 21:18, 10 September 2024

Library
Info
Cost $5
Type(s) Action
Kingdom card? Yes
Set Base
Illustrator(s) Harald Lieske
Card text
Draw until you have 7 cards in hand, skipping any Action cards you choose to; set those aside, discarding them afterwards.

Library is an Action card from the Base set. It is a terminal draw-to-X card, meaning it provides +Cards (up to a limit) but no +Action. Its ability to set aside Action cards acts as a weak sifting effect.

FAQ

Official FAQ

  • You look at cards one at a time, putting each one into your hand or setting it aside, until you have 7 cards in hand; then you discard the set aside cards.
  • If you shuffle in the middle of doing this, you do not shuffle in the set aside cards.
  • Only Action cards can be set aside. You are not forced to set aside Action cards; that is just an option.
  • If you already have 7 cards in hand to start, you do not draw any cards.

Other rules clarifications

  • If you have 6 or fewer cards in hand and your –1 Card token is on your deck, you'll remove the token and will draw until you have 7 cards.
  • If you set aside any Action-Reactions that care about being discarded (such as Village Green or Trail), you resolve their Reactions after you finish drawing.

Strategy

Library is a draw-to-X card: that is, rather than drawing a fixed number of cards, it allows you to continue drawing until you have a specific number in hand. Library’s drawing power is therefore dependent on your hand size: it draws more cards when you play it from a hand of few cards. This gives it a different set of advantages, disadvantages, and synergies compared to more typical draw cards such as Smithy. The ability to skip past Action cards also provides some flexibility and sifting, although the fact that Library is terminal and cannot sift past Treasures or junk makes it difficult to use without strong support. It works best in engines with good thinning, Action-based payload, and abundant villages, and you’ll usually look to add a Library after you’ve started preparing your deck by thinning. In the absence of these supporting effects, it’s usually not worth using Library to try and draw.

When using Library (or more generally any draw-to-X card) as your primary draw, your approach to various archetypes of cards changes. Generally speaking, Action stop cards become much more attractive, as their biggest disadvantage (that they don’t draw) is less of a concern because playing them first then allows your Library to draw more. Library therefore works well with villages that don’t draw cards (e.g. Festival)—while you lose some reliability compared to Village, you lose no drawing power overall. It also negates the downside of discard-for-benefit cards; for example, discarding with Artificer leaves you with a smaller hand size, but playing Library afterwards voids this downside. Additionally, if you can decrease your hand size any other way (e.g., by first playing a payload stop card such as Vassal or a trash for benefit card such as Remodel), your Library can draw even more cards. Treasures, on the other hand, are much worse payload with Library, since they can't generally be played until the Buy phase, so they are stuck taking up space in your hand (although some cards change this, notably Villa and Black Market). For the same reason, trashing your starting cards (e.g., via Chapel) can greatly improve the efficacy of a draw-to-X deck, although it’s sometimes possible to use sifting effects such as Cellar as a substitute for this. Library also partially counters discarding attacks such as Militia. The flip side of this is that there is a hard limit on your hand size if you are just using Library for draw, so multiple copies don’t stack unless you can decrease your hand size between playing them (similarly, using Throne Room to play Library is much less desirable than using it to play Smithy).

The option to skip Action cards when drawing with Library is rarely very impactful, because these are usually the cards that you most want to draw and play. The effect is occasionally useful, however: it may allow you to skip useless Action cards such as Ruins, avoid terminal collision or drawing Actions dead if you have limited remaining terminal space, or sift through your deck for a key card that you specifically want to play, such as a village, Attack, or Traveller.

External strategy articles

Note: Article(s) below are by individual authors and may not represent the community's current views on cards, but may provide more in-depth information or give historical perspective. Caveat emptor.

Versions

English versions

Print Digital Text Release Date
Library Library Draw until you have 7 cards in hand.
You may set aside any Action cards drawn this way, as you draw them; discard the set aside cards after you finish drawing.
Dominion October 2008
Library Library from Shuffle iT Draw until you have 7 cards in hand, skipping any Action cards you choose to; set those aside, discarding them afterwards. Dominion (Second Edition) October 2016

Other language versions

Language Name Print Digital Text Notes
Chinese 圖書館 (pron. túshūguǎn)
Czech Knihovna
Dutch Bibliotheek Dutch language Library Vul je hand aan tot 7 kaarten.
Getrokken actiekaarten mag je houden of apart bewaren en vervangen door nieuwe kaarten. Als je hand is aangevuld leg je de apart bewaarde actiekaarten af.
Tweede editie
(herdruk 2019/2020)
"Vul je hand aan tot 7 kaarten. Trek kaarten tot je er 7 in handen hebt. … Als je hand is aangevuld Nadat je klaar bent met het trekken…"
Finnish Kirjasto
French Bibliothèque French language Library 2021 from Shuffle iT Piochez jusqu'à ce que vous ayez 7 cartes en main. Chaque carte Action piochée peut être mise de côté. Défaussez les cartes mises de côté lorsque vous avez terminé de piocher.
German Bibliothek German language Library 2013 by ASS Ziehe solange Karten vom Nachziehstapel, bis du insgesamt 7 Karten auf der Hand hast.
Aktionskarten, die du ziehst, darfst du dabei zur Seite legen. Sobald du 7 Karten auf der Hand hast, legst du die zur Seite gelegten Karten ab.
(2008, 2013)
"Sobald du 7 Karten auf der Hand hast, Nach dem Ziehen…"
Bibliothek German language Library 2019 by ASS German language Library 2021 from Shuffle iT Zieh, bis du 7 Handkarten hast; gezogene Aktionskarten darfst du dabei zur Seite legen und nach dem Ziehen ablegen. 2. Edition
(2018, 2019)
Greek Βιβλιοθήκη (pron. vivliotheke)
Hungarian Könyvtár
Italian Biblioteca
Japanese 書庫 (pron. shoko) 手札が7枚になるように、好きなアクションカードを (何枚でも)飛ばしながら、1枚ずつカードを引く (飛ばすものは脇に置き、引き終えた後、捨て札にする)。
Korean 도서관 (pron. doseogwan)
Norwegian Bibliotek
Polish Biblioteka Polish language Library Dobieraj karty, aż będziesz miał ich 7 na ręce. W miarę dobierania możesz odkładać na bok kolejne dobrane karty Akcji. Po zakończeniu dobierania odrzuć wszystkie odłożone karty.

(2015)


II Edycja
(2018)

Romanian Bibliotecă
Russian Библиотека (pron. bibliotyeka) Russian language Library from Shuffle iT Тяните карты до семи в руке, по желанию пропуская любые карты Действия. Пропущенные карты откладывайте в сторону и затем сбросьте их.
Spanish Biblioteca Spanish language Library Roba cartas de una en una hasta tener 7 cartas en la mano. Puedes ir apartando las cartas de Acción que vayas sacando. Cuando termines, descarta las cartas que hayas apartado. First Edition
(2008)
Biblioteca Spanish language Library Roba cartas de una en una hasta tener 7 cartas en la mano. Puedes ir apartando las cartas de Acción que vayas sacando. Cuando termines, descarta las cartas que hayas apartado. Second Edition
(2016, 2021)

Trivia

Official card art.

Secret History

When I nabbed Festival from the 6th expansion, I took Library with it, since to me they went together. Actually it was a 3-card package, but the other card did not make the grade. Library seemed like a fine card to have around, so why not. At one point it came under fire for having confusing text, and could conceivably have gotten booted. We fixed up the text and ended up deciding it wasn't too complicated after all.

Name

Library was the kind of name I wanted in Alchemy, where the card started, and well I guess I've been influenced all these years by [Magic: The Gathering] equating card-drawing with knowledge. There is no such equating in Dominion; I decided early on that "+Cards" would have no flavor, because a card like Torturer wants to be named for the relevant new part of the card, not for the +3 Cards.


Cards $2 CellarChapelMoat $3 Harbinger • MerchantVassalVillageWorkshop $4 BureaucratGardensMilitiaMoneylenderPoacherRemodelSmithyThrone Room $5 BanditCouncil RoomFestivalLaboratoryLibraryMarketMineSentry • Witch $6 Artisan
Removed cards $3 ChancellorWoodcutter $4 FeastSpyThief $6 Adventurer
Combos and Counters Beggar/GardensWorkshop/Gardens
Other concepts Vanilla
Dominion Cards
Basic cards $0 CopperCurse $2 Estate $3 Silver $5 Duchy $6 Gold $8 Province
Dominion $2 CellarChapelMoat $3 Harbinger • MerchantVassalVillageWorkshop $4 BureaucratGardensMilitiaMoneylenderPoacherRemodelSmithyThrone Room $5 BanditCouncil RoomFestivalLaboratoryLibraryMarketMineSentry • Witch $6 Artisan
Removed cards: $3 ChancellorWoodcutter $4 FeastSpyThief $6 Adventurer
Intrigue $2 CourtyardLurkerPawn $3 MasqueradeShanty TownStewardSwindlerWishing Well $4 BaronBridgeConspiratorDiplomatIronworksMillMining VillageSecret Passage $5 CourtierDukeMinionPatrolReplaceTorturerTrading PostUpgrade $6 FarmNobles
Removed cards: $2 Secret Chamber $3 Great Hall $4 CoppersmithScout $5 SaboteurTribute
Seaside $2 HavenLighthouseNative Village $3 AstrolabeFishing VillageLookoutMonkeySea ChartSmugglersWarehouse $4 BlockadeCaravanCutpurseIslandSailorSalvagerTide PoolsTreasure Map $5 BazaarCorsairMerchant ShipOutpostPirateSea WitchTacticianTreasuryWharf
Removed cards: $2 EmbargoPearl Diver $3 Ambassador $4 NavigatorPirate ShipSea Hag $5 ExplorerGhost Ship
Alchemy P TransmuteVineyard $2 Herbalist $2P ApothecaryScrying PoolUniversity $3P AlchemistFamiliarPhilosopher's Stone $4 Potion $4P Golem $5 Apprentice $6P Possession
Prosperity $3 AnvilWatchtower $4 BishopClerkInvestmentTiaraMonumentQuarryWorker's Village $5 CharlatanCityCollectionCrystal BallMagnateMintRabbleVaultWar Chest $6 Hoard $6* Grand Market $7 BankExpandForgeKing's Court $8star Peddler $9 Platinum $11 Colony
Removed cards: $3 LoanTrade Route $4 Talisman $5 ContrabandCounting HouseMountebankRoyal SealVenture $6 Goons
Cornucopia & Guilds $2 Candlestick MakerHamlet $2+ FarrierStonemason $3 MenagerieShop $3+ Infirmary $4 AdvisorFarmhandsPlazaRemakeYoung Witch $4+ Herald $5 BakerButcherCarnivalFerrymanFootpadHorn of PlentyHunting PartyJesterJourneymanJoust (Rewards: CoronetCourserDemesneHousecarlHuge TurnipRenown)• Merchant GuildSoothsayer $6 Fairgrounds
Removed cards: $3 Fortune Teller $3+ DoctorMasterpiece $4 Farming VillageHorse TradersTaxmanTournament (Prizes: Bag of GoldDiademFollowersPrincessTrusty Steed) $5 Harvest
Hinterlands $2 CrossroadsFool's Gold $3 DevelopGuard DogOasisSchemeTunnel $4 Jack of All TradesNomadsSpice MerchantTraderTrailWeaver $5 BerserkerCartographerCauldronHagglerHighwayInnMargraveSoukStablesWheelwrightWitch's Hut $6 Border VillageFarmland
Removed cards: $2 Duchess $3 Oracle $4 Noble BrigandNomad CampSilk Road $5 CacheEmbassyIll-Gotten GainsMandarin
Dark Ages $0 Ruins (Abandoned MineRuined LibraryRuined MarketRuined VillageSurvivors) $0* Spoils $1 Poor HouseShelters (HovelNecropolisOvergrown Estate) $2 BeggarSquireVagrant $3 ForagerHermit (Madman) • Market SquareSageStoreroomUrchin (Mercenary) $4 ArmoryDeath CartFeodumFortressIronmongerMarauderProcessionRatsScavengerWandering Minstrel $5 Band of MisfitsBandit CampCatacombsCountCounterfeitCultistGraverobberJunk DealerKnights (Dames AnnaJosephineMollyNatalieSylvia • Sirs BaileyDestryMartinMichaelVander) • MysticPillageRebuildRogue $6 AltarHunting Grounds
Adventures $2 Coin of the RealmPage (Treasure HunterWarriorHeroChampion) • Peasant (SoldierFugitiveDiscipleTeacher) • RatcatcherRaze $3 AmuletCaravan GuardDungeonGearGuide $4 DuplicateMagpieMessengerMiserPortRangerTransmogrify $5 ArtificerBridge TrollDistant LandsGiantHaunted WoodsLost CityRelicRoyal CarriageStorytellerSwamp HagTreasure TroveWine Merchant $6 Hireling
Events: $0 AlmsBorrowQuest $1 Save $2 Scouting PartyTravelling Fair $3 BonfireExpeditionFerryPlan $4 MissionPilgrimage $5 BallRaidSeawayTrade $6 Lost ArtsTraining $7 Inheritance $8 Pathfinding
Empires 4D Engineer 8D City QuarterOverlordRoyal Blacksmith $2 Encampment/PlunderPatrician/EmporiumSettlers/Bustling Village $3 Castles (HumbleCrumblingSmallHauntedOpulentSprawlingGrandKing's) • Catapult/RocksChariot RaceEnchantressFarmers' MarketGladiator/Fortune $4 SacrificeTempleVilla $5 ArchiveCapitalCharmCrownForumGroundskeeperLegionaryWild Hunt
Events: 5D Triumph 8D AnnexDonate $0 Advance $2 DelveTax $3 Banquet $4 RitualSalt the Earth $43D Wedding $5 Windfall $6 Conquest $14 Dominate
Landmarks: AqueductArenaBandit FortBasilicaBathsBattlefieldColonnadeDefiled ShrineFountainKeepLabyrinthMountain PassMuseumObeliskOrchardPalaceTombTowerTriumphal ArchWallWolf Den
Nocturne $0* Will-o'-WispWish $2 DruidFaithful HoundGuardianMonasteryPixie (Goat) • Tracker (Pouch) $2* Imp $3 ChangelingFool (Lost in the WoodsLucky Coin) • Ghost TownLeprechaunNight WatchmanSecret Cave (Magic Lamp) $4 BardBlessed VillageCemetery (Haunted Mirror) • ConclaveDevil's WorkshopExorcistNecromancer (Zombies: ApprenticeMasonSpy) • Shepherd (Pasture) • Skulk $4* Ghost $5 CobblerCryptCursed VillageDen of SinIdolPooka (Cursed Gold) • Sacred GroveTormentorTragic HeroVampire (Bat) • Werewolf $6 Raider
Boons: The Earth's GiftFieldFlameForestMoonMountainRiverSeaSkySunSwampWind
Hexes: Bad OmensDelusion (Deluded) • Envy (Envious) • FamineFearGreedHauntingLocustsMisery (Miserable/Twice Miserable) • PlaguePovertyWar
Renaissance $2 Border Guard (HornLantern) • DucatLackeys $3 Acting TroupeCargo ShipExperimentImprove $4 Flag Bearer (Flag) • HideoutInventorMountain VillagePatronPriestResearchSilk Merchant $5 Old WitchRecruiterScepterScholarSculptorSeerSpicesSwashbuckler (Treasure Chest) • Treasurer (Key) • Villain
Projects: $3 CathedralCity GatePageantSewersStar Chart $4 ExplorationFairSilosSinister Plot $5 AcademyCapitalismFleetGuildhallPiazzaRoad Network $6 BarracksCrop RotationInnovation $7 Canal $8 Citadel
Menagerie $2 Black CatSleighSupplies $3 Camel TrainGoatherdScrapSheepdogSnowy VillageStockpile $3* Horse $4 Bounty HunterCardinalCavalryGroomHostelryVillage Green $5 BargeCovenDisplaceFalconerGatekeeperHunting LodgeKilnLiveryMastermindPaddockSanctuary $5* Fisherman $6* DestrierWayfarer $7* Animal Fair
Events: $0 DelayDesperation $2 GamblePursueRideToil $3 EnhanceMarchTransport $4 BanishBargainInvestSeize the Day $5 CommerceDemandStampede $7 Reap $8 Enclave $10 AlliancePopulate
Ways: ButterflyCamelChameleonFrogGoatHorseMoleMonkeyMouseMuleOtterOwlOxPigRatSealSheepSquirrelTurtleWorm
Allies $2 BaubleSycophantTownsfolk (Town Crier / Blacksmith / Miller / Elder) $3 Augurs (Herb Gatherer / Acolyte / Sorceress / Sibyl) • Clashes (Battle Plan / Archer / Warlord / Territory) • Forts (Tent / Garrison / Hill Fort / Stronghold) • ImporterMerchant CampOdysseys (Old Map / Voyage / Sunken Treasure / Distant Shore) • SentinelUnderlingWizards (Student / Conjurer / Sorcerer / Lich) $4 BrokerCarpenterCourierInnkeeperRoyal GalleyTown $5 BarbarianCapital CityContractEmissaryGalleriaGuildmasterHighwaymanHunterModifySkirmisherSpecialistSwap $6 Marquis
Allies: Architects' GuildBand of NomadsCave DwellersCircle of WitchesCity-stateCoastal HavenCrafters' GuildDesert GuidesFamily of InventorsFellowship of ScribesForest DwellersGang of PickpocketsIsland FolkLeague of BankersLeague of ShopkeepersMarket TownsMountain FolkOrder of AstrologersOrder of MasonsPeaceful CultPlateau ShepherdsTrappers' LodgeWoodworkers' Guild
Plunder $2 CageGrottoJewelled EggSearchShaman $3 Secluded ShrineSirenStowawayTaskmaster $4 AbundanceCabin BoyCrucibleFlagshipFortune HunterGondolaHarbor VillageLanding PartyMapmakerMaroonRopeSwamp ShacksTools $5 Buried TreasureCrewCutthroatEnlargeFigurineFirst MateFrigateLongshipMining RoadPendantPickaxePilgrimQuartermasterSilver MineTricksterWealthy Village $6 Sack of Loot $7 King's Cache $7* Loots (AmphoraDoubloonsEndless ChaliceFigureheadHammerInsigniaJewelsOrbPrize GoatPuzzle BoxSextantShieldSpell ScrollStaffSword)
Events: $1 Bury $2 AvoidDeliverPerilRush $3 ForayLaunchMirrorPrepareScrounge $4 MaelstromJourney $6 Looting $10 InvasionProsper
Traits: CheapCursedFatedFawningFriendlyHastyInheritedInspiringNearbyPatientPiousRecklessRichShyTireless
Rising Sun 5D Mountain Shrine 6D Daimyo 8D Artist $2 FishmongerSnake Witch $3 AristocratCraftsmanRiverboatRoot Cellar $4 AlleyChangeNinjaPoetRiver ShrineRustic Village $5 Gold MineImperial EnvoyKitsuneLitterRice BrokerRoninTanukiTea House $6 Samurai $7 Rice
Events: 8D Continue $2 AmassAsceticismCreditForesight $3 KintsugiPractice $4 Sea Trade $5 Receive Tribute $7 Gather
Prophecies: Approaching ArmyBiding TimeBureaucracyDivine WindEnlightenmentFlourishing TradeGood HarvestGreat LeaderGrowthHarsh WinterKind EmperorPanicProgressRapid ExpansionSickness
Promo $3 Black MarketChurch $4 DismantleEnvoySauna/AvantoWalled Village $5 GovernorMarchlandStash $6 Captain $8 Prince
Events: $5 Summon
Base Cards $0 CopperCurse $2 Estate $3 Silver $4 Potion $5 Duchy $6 Gold $8 Province $9 Platinum $11 Colony
See also: Second EditionErrataOuttakes (Confusion) • Fan cardsCard storageList of cards (in other languages)