How to Make a Lectern in Minecraft

Guide Java Bedrock

Quick answer: Craft a lectern with 4 wooden slabs and 1 bookshelf: 3 slabs across the top row, the bookshelf in the center, and 1 slab below it. It holds books for display, emits redstone signals from pages, and is the librarian villager's job site block.

What you need

4 wooden slabs of any type
1 bookshelf (6 planks + 3 books)

Step by step

Craft a bookshelf first: 6 planks around 3 books in the middle row (books are paper plus leather).
Craft 4 wooden slabs of any type.
Open the crafting table.
Fill the top row with 3 slabs.
Place the bookshelf in the center slot and the last slab directly below it.
Take the lectern.
Use it to display a book and quill or written book that anyone can read, hook up a comparator to get a redstone signal that changes with the page, or place one near an unemployed villager to create a librarian.

Java vs Bedrock

The lectern works the same in Java and Bedrock and was added in 1.14. Its redstone trick: a comparator reads the open page and outputs a matching signal strength, the basis of secret page-turn door locks. Librarians from lecterns are the easiest way to roll enchanted book trades like Mending.

Versions: javabedrock

Frequently asked questions

What does a lectern do in Minecraft?

It displays a book that multiple players can read at once, outputs a redstone signal through a comparator based on the current page, and turns unemployed villagers into librarians.

How do you get Mending from a lectern?

Place a lectern next to an unemployed villager. If the librarian's first trade is not Mending, break and replace the lectern to reroll until it appears. Lock the trade by trading once before doing anything else.

Can you remove a book from a lectern?

Yes. Right-click the lectern to open the book, then use the take-book button in the interface. Breaking the lectern also drops the book.