Medieval Libraries and Books!

Books had to be copied by hand in the Medieval Ages, as there was no printing press yet. This made books extremely expensive and unique. Therefore, libraries had to protect them against thieves. They did this by chaining them to the shelves, so that no one could take them. In many countries, such as England and Portugal, being caught stealing a book had a very harsh penalty: excommunication. Not even stealing food and other goods had a sentence this harsh!