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Now I understand the idea of learning and cataloging as much warp-knowledge as you can. But why do the lexicanii have to write all that down in huge parchment volumes and especially why do they carry those big heavy things into battle? Can't they put all that info into a futuristic iPad (or dataslate or whatever)?

I just can't help laughing at trying to imagine a libby with a jump pack or bike trying to read a big book and the wind is riffling his pages all over the place.

The consequences of digitizing certain kinds of knowledge can be unexpected and dire; see Aemos in the Eisenhorn trilogy. It's also possible that the huge tomes (which presumably are not that heavy for an armoured Space Marine) are a badge of office rather than something they need to reference in the middle of the fight.

Otherwise the name 'Librarian' wouldn't make much sense

From what I have seen from fellow students, some knowledge might come easier if written down by hand, and they are in an universe where if you say a single phrase wrong instead of doing some awesome Librarian-power you instead might by accident summon a daemon with that incantation, so there you sort of go.

 Beaviz81 wrote:
From what I have seen from fellow students, some knowledge might come easier if written down by hand, and they are in an universe where if you say a single phrase wrong instead of doing some awesome Librarian-power you instead might by accident summon a daemon with that incantation, so there you sort of go.

Surely you'd want some kind of spellcheck then haha.

Yea Id say they are symbolic mostly. Some undoubtedly will have wards or potent inscriptions on them too to aid in casting or protection.

Like most things Imperium, as people have said, it's probably a symbolism thing. I doubt they're actually reading them in battle, it's probably more a badge of office type thing. That's how I always imagined it anyway.

Because they're Librarians, and GW loves making things literal.


So you have Space Marines wearing armor with autosenses and blink-clickable icons on the HUDs, but also with books, and giant oversized speakers.

Books have many advantages over electronic forms of storage.

1) Not vulnerable to EMP.

2) Don't require power to maintain the data.

3) Because its a physical copy its a little more secure. You can't hack into a library and read the information remotely.


I'm pretty sure no Librarian would try to read his book in mid flight. If he needed to in the middle of battle he'd stop and wait a second. And he's probably memorized the entire thing anyway.

They're called librarians because, in addition to being the chapter's psychic warriors, they are also responsible for maintaining chapter records and the vast knowledge they've stockpiled over the centuries in the chapter Library. Its really not that silly at all.

I was joking when I said about the Librarian thing, to clarify

Words on paper have long been associated with power. Even today some religions believe the written word holds great power and 40k would be a realm where writing "Jordan owes me 5 quid and he better pay it back or die" when you have psychic powers could have dire consequences. Handwriting probably gives it extra oomph.

Tbh, its probably because of scrapcode. Scrapcode is chaos-infected data that can corrupt or even steal information. Imagine Chaos getting their hands on information regarding the chapter's genevaults or something. It could be devastating. Or worse, corrupting a simple spell like Smite into a Vortex that vomits forth Daemons upon Daemons. With books, you need to be physically there to read them.

 Grey Templar wrote:
3) Because its a physical copy its a little more secure. You can't hack into a library and read the information remotely.

But you can walk into it and read it/ remove it without knowledge of some arcane data thingy... oh and they turn into dust after some time...

The Library will be guarded at all times by multiple marines(most of whom will be psykers), armed servitors, and other surveillance equipment.

thats true, but the space around SM outposts is also always surveyled and guarded...
also, why would a library databank have to be connected to any network? The only access point can be inside the library as well

librarians propably just like to write diaries, thats why they keep one by their side at all times... "dear diary today a glorious battle took place but i was not in the mood... the captain gave me an angry glance because of that."

 ImAGeek wrote:
Otherwise the name 'Librarian' wouldn't make much sense

Winning.

But yeah it probably has to do with Various Admech decrees to prevent the spread of information and tech or something equally grimdark.

I imagine that it is easier to ward books than data crystals or slates, as you can use special ink, special paper, and special binding all to protect whats written inside. And the kind of stuff that Librarians record is almost always the kind of stuff that you DEFINITELY don't want easy access too. A lot of the texts they have are semi-sentient or at least thin spots in reality where the unprepared mind could be seized by a warp predator.

Touch screens don't work with those big gauntlets.

 ImAGeek wrote:

 Beaviz81 wrote:
From what I have seen from fellow students, some knowledge might come easier if written down by hand, and they are in an universe where if you say a single phrase wrong instead of doing some awesome Librarian-power you instead might by accident summon a daemon with that incantation, so there you sort of go.

Surely you'd want some kind of spellcheck then haha.

spell check is probably the REASON they dont use digital versions lol... had "smart" spell check make more mistakes then me...

 Grey Templar wrote:
The Library will be guarded at all times by multiple marines(most of whom will be psykers), armed servitors, and other surveillance equipment.

and I imagine when the books aren't being used they are stored in a stasis vault so the decaying with time problem is minimal

 ImAGeek wrote:
Otherwise the name 'Librarian' wouldn't make much sense

iPadian


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 SkrawnyNob wrote:
But why do the lexicanii have to write all that down in huge parchment volumes and especially why do they carry those big heavy things into battle? Can't they put all that info into a futuristic iPad (or dataslate or whatever)?

Knowing grimdark miniature design, i'm afraid that futuristic iPads would be even more unwieldy than the tomes they allready have.

Librarians aren't the only models with books. Some preacher models have them too, the SoB Canoness can have one and I'm sure there is an Inquisitor model or two with a book strapped on.

Badge of office, IMO. The librarian's book is probably not his spells anyway. It could be his list of precautionary rituals and discipline needed to stay free from Warp taint. Or a focus item for his favorite psychic power - there's powerful symbolism in carrying a book if you're into divinations and such, for example.

Big chunky tomes with hard cases and thick metal hinges....something nice and heavy to swing about in hand-to-hand combat.

Same reason as why swords hurt daemons, symbolism is powerful when it comes to the Warp. Guilliman makes a comment about it Know no Fear, instructing his legion to use symbolic weaponry such as swords to fight daemons. Books hold power because they are books, a Kindle would provide sub par results.

They're dark age space wizards, and an ipad doesn't scream "master of arcane knowledge."

Wait-they read books?
So that's where Tigurius got his powers from...

Animus wrote:
They're dark age space wizards, and an ipad doesn't scream "master of arcane knowledge."

And Marines long ago got fed up with waiting in line at the Apple store to talk to a "genius".

I'm sure the book can also serve as sort of a foci, an object to enhance their ability to manifest powers. Chaos Sorcerors have TONS of trinkets to help them.

You just put a picture of Marines covered in iPhones instead of Purity Seals in my mind.

Hilarious.

I swear I've seen a picture of that very thing. Can't seem to find it.

 Grey Templar wrote:
I swear I've seen a picture of that very thing. Can't seem to find it.

Er ya go