- Lay out the Town Board and set the Library Inspection Form nearby
- Place the Diviner's Hut face up below the Town Board. Shuffle the other Location Tiles and place them face-down in a stack.
- Give the 1st player token to the player who most recently acquired a book.
- Shuffle the Library Tiles and deal 2 to each player. In reverse turn order (last player 1st), each player chooses a library tile.
- Each player Takes the Special Assistant that matches their libary, as well as 2 standard assistants (gnomes).
- Shuffle the Category Cards and place one (randomly) face up on the Prominent Works space and the Banned Books spaces of the town board.
- Deal one of the remaining Category Cards face down to each player for their "focus". This is slid under the right hand side of each players' board.
- Shuffle the Book Cards and deal 6 to each player. Place the remaining cards in a stack near the board.
- There are 6 categories, listed below.
Corrupted Codices: 
Fantastical Fictions: 
Historic Volumes: 
Monster Manuals: 
Reference Texts: 
Spells & Potions: 
- 1. Preparation Phase
The 1st player reveals 1 location tile per player and places them faceup below the town board. Note that in the 1st round, because of the Diviner's Hut, you will deal out 1 less.
Deal out cards faceup (unless otherwise noted) to any locations that require cards. Splay out multiple cards on a location so that you can see the information at the top of all cards.
- 2. Placement Phase
Starting with the 1st player and going clockwise, each player takes a turn placing one assistant (this can be either your special assistant or a standard gnome assistant). Place 1 of your available assistants on either:
- On a Location Tile
This is one of the location tiles on or below the town board. If the location has an ⚡ Instant Effect, activate it immediately. If the location has a ⏱ Delayed Effect, it will be activated during the Resolution Phase.
- On Your Library Tile
Place an assistant on one of the 3 spaces on your library tile and:
- Draw 1 card -OR-
- Shelve 1 card from your hand
- 3. Resolution Phase
Resolve all locations in numerical order, beginning with the Diviner's Hut. To resolve a location:
- If the location has a ⏱ Delayed Effect, activate it now
- Discard any remaining cards on the location.
- Return assistants to the players
- 4. Cleanup Phase
Move the lowest numbered location below the town board onto the town board into the Permanent Locations.
Place any remaining location tiles (below the board) aside face up in a discard pile.
Remove any assistants on their "home" spaces.
Check to see if anyone has the required number of cards to trigger the final round according to this:
2 Players: 16 cards 3 Players: 14 cards 4 Players: 12 cards If someone has the required number of cards, play 1 more round and then go to scoring.
- Use the Library Inspection Form for the scoring.
- Alphabetical Order Check
Flip any card face down in each library that does not follow alphabetical and numeric order from left to right, top to bottom.
- Categorical Tally
- Record the tally of each category for each player
- Shelf Stability
Each player counts the largest rectangular group of cards that includes cards on their bottom row. Each card is worth 1 point. A rectangle must be at least 2x2.
- Prominent Works Awards
Players score points for the Prominent Works category based on who has the most books of that category. If there is a tie, add the award for the tied place to the next lowest space (if any) and divide the total evenly, rounding up.
- Banned Books Penalties
Each player loses 1 point for every banned book in their bookshelf
- Categorical Variety Bonuses
- Each player gets 3 points per book for the category with the fewest books (ignoring Banned Books).
- Reveal & Score Focuses
- Each player receives 2 points for every book matching their library's focus.
- ~Tiebreakers~
- Most books in their bookshelf
- Fewest cards in their hand
- Fewest Banned Books in their library
- The first player to finish reading a book
- The Caverns of Comprehension
- The Goblin Sneak: When the Goblin Sneak visits the same location as one or more opponents, prior to activating any effects, you may attempt to pickpocket. Choose an opponent present at the location and name a category. That opponent must give you a card containing a book of that category, if able, or show you a hand containing none. Repeat this process for each opponent present at that location. Any cards acquired this way may be shelved.
- The Crypt of Accursed Knowledge
The Mummy:When the Mummy shelves a card, you may entomb the card by placing it either directly on top of, or directly underneath, a previously shelved card in your bookshelf. The bottom card of the stack is flipped face down and its icons no longer count during scoring. You may never have more than one card under each card in your bookshelf. At the end of the game, entombed cards in your bookshelf are worth 2 points each. Add the total to your shelf stability bonus.
Note:If the top card of an entombed stack is discarded for any reason, the card remaining underneath is no longer considered entombed, but stays flipped face down.
- The Clockwork Atheneum
- The Automaton: When the Automaton visits a location or your library, prior to activating any effects, you may perform one home action for each of your other assistants already present at the location.
- The Dungeon of Deep Thought
- The Gelatinous Cube: If an opposing assistant visits the same location as the Gelatinous Cube, prior to activating any effects or abilities, they must either:
- Give you a random card from their hand -OR-
- Allow you to perform both home actions
- The Forest Repository
- The Sasquatch: The Sasquatch may only visit locations where opposing assistants are not present. If an opposing assistant visits the same location as the Sasquatch, before they activate any effects or abilities, you may choose to retrieve the Sasquatch — it may be placed again on a subsequent turn this round.
- The Haunted House of Learning
The Ghost: The Ghost may not visit the Diviner's Hut. (The Diviner has warded her hut from uninvited spirits.)
You may place the Ghost on assistant spaces that are occupied by opposing assistants at locations with instant effects; the two assistants share the space. When you do so, prior to activating any effects or abilities, draw one card from the deck. Afterward, activate the location’s effect. You may not use this ability on locations with delayed effects.
- The Garden of Education
- The Bookworm: When the Bookworm visits a home action space, you may perform both home actions. Afterward, you may discard a card from your hand or bookshelf to repeat the process once.
- The Igloo of Information
- The Snowman: As long as the Snowman is on an assistant space at a location with an instant effect, no more assistants may visit the location.
- The Junkyard of Enlightenment
- The Trash Golem: If the Trash Golem is present at a location during step 2 of the Resolution Phase, you may choose one card that would be discarded from each location as it resolves and either take it or shelve it. Continue this process until the Trash Golem’s location itself is resolved and its token returns to you.
- The Swamp of Scholarship
- The Witch: Any time the Witch acquires a card containing at least one Banned Book, reveal the top card of the deck. You may take either the original card or the revealed card, then discard whichever card you did not take.
- The Literary Laboratory
- The Wizard: When the Wizard shelves a card, you may shift a group of any number of adjacent cards in your bookshelf one space in any direction to create one or more empty spaces, then shelve the new card in a newly created empty space. Your bookshelf may disconnect temporarily, so long as it follows all shelving rules after the new card is added.
- The Volcanic Biblioteca
The Fire Imp: When the Fire Imp visits a location with one or more cards in its card area, prior to activating any effects, you may either:
- Discard one card from the location's card area to perform one home action -OR-
- Discard ALL cards from the location's card area to perform two home actions
Note: If a location tile has only one card in its card area, you may only choose option A above.
- Diviner's Hut (#1)
⚡ Instant Effect - First, draw one card for every assistant you have placed this round, including this one. Next, take the first player token from the player who currently has it. If you already have the first player token, keep it.
Note: The Ghost may not visit the Diviner's Hut
- Ye Olde Book Swap (#2)
⚡ Instant Effect - Trade one card from your hand with one card from Ye Olde Book Swap's card area. You may shelve the newly acquired card.
Note: Visiting Ye Olde Book Swap has no effect if you have no cards in your hand, or if there are no cards in Ye Olde Book Swap's card area.
- Auction House (#3)
When placing an assistant at the Auction House, choose one of the four bid spaces. If an assistant is already present, even if one of your own, you must choose a bid space that is a higher number, if able (a bid of four cannot be outbid). Return the lower-bidding assistant to their player — it may be placed again on a subsequent turn this round.
⏱ Delayed Effect - Discard a number of cards from your hand equal to your bid space to take the three cards from the Auction House's card area. You may shelve any/all of them.
Note: If you are unable to discard the required number of cards, you receive nothing from the Auction House. The Auction House has no effect if there are no cards in the Auction House’s card area.
- Donation Centre (#4)
- ⚡ Instant Effect - Discard one or more cards from your hand and/or library, then shelve up to two cards from your hand.
- Community Centre (#5)
⚡ Instant Effect - First, take one card form the Community Centre's card area. Next, if any cards remain in the card area, give one to any opponent. Any cards you acquired from the Community Centre may be shelved.
Note: Visiting the Community Centre has no effect if there are no cards in the Community Centre's card area.
- Wishing Well (#6)
- ⚡ Instant Effect - Discard any number of cards from your hand (including zero), then draw one more than the number you discarded. You may shelve one of the cards drawn.
- Gambling Den (#7)
⚡ Instant Effect - Starting with the active player and moving clockwise, each player with an assistant at the Gambling Den names a different category. The active player reveals four cards from the deck. The player whose named category has the most matching books amongst the revealed cards wins and takes all the revealed cards with matching books. Discard any remaining revealed cards. The winner may shelve one of the cards they took for every player with an assistant at the Gambling Den.
Note: In the case of a tie between the active player and any other players, the active player wins. If the active player is not part of the tie, the winner is the player closest to the active player, in counter-clockwise order.
- Librarians Lodge (#8)
⚡ Instant Effect - You may perform the following actions once each, in whatever order you choose:
- Move one of your previously placed assistants from a location’s assistant space to one of your library tile’s home action spaces and take a home action.
- Swap one card from your bookshelf with any card in your hand -OR- swap one card from your bookshelf with another card from your bookshelf -OR- remove one card from your bookshelf, then shelve it again.
- Book Collector (#9)
⚡ Instant Effect - Discard any number of cards from your hand and/or bookshelf. Count the number of category icons on the discarded cards that match a category icon on the card in the Book Collector’s card area. Draw cards equal to half that number, rounded down. You may shelve up to two of the cards drawn.
- Book Seller (#10)
⚡ Instant Effect - Take one card from the Book Seller's card area. You may shelve it.
Note: Visiting the Book Seller has no effect if there are no cards in the Book Seller's card area.
- Garbage Dump (#11)
⏱ Delayed Effect - Name a category, then search the discard pile. Take any one card containing a book of the named category. If no cards are present in the discard pile that contain a book of the named category, you receive nothing. If you took a card, you may shelve it.
Note: Visiting the Garbage Dump has no effect if there are no cards in the discard pile.
- Local Drafthouse (#12)
⏱ Delayed Effect - The player whose assistant was placed on the first space of the Local Drafthouse reveals two cards from the deck for every assistant present at the Local Drafthouse. The player whose assistant was placed on the first space takes one of the revealed cards, followed by the player whose assistant was placed on the second space, and so on, repeating the process until all the revealed cards have been taken. Any/all of the cards taken may be shelved.
- Mystery Shack (#13)
⚡ Instant Effect - Name a category, then look at all the face-down cards on the Mystery Shack’s card area, without revealing them to your opponents. Reveal and take any/all cards containing at least one book matching your named category. Return the remaining cards face down. You may shelve one of the cards newly acquired.
Note: Visiting the Mystery Shack has no effect if there are no cards in the Mystery Shack's card area.
- Rummage Sale (#14)
⚡ Instant Effect - Take one of the cards from the Rummage Sale’s card area. Take one additional card if another assistant, including one of your own, is present. All cards taken from the Rummage Sale may be shelved.
Note: Visiting the Rummage Sale has no effect if there are no cards in the Rummage Sale's card area.
- Assistants Guild (#15)
⚡ Instant Effect - Move one of your previously placed assistants from one of your library tile’s home action spaces to a location’s assistant space that is occupied by an opposing assistant. Return the opposing assistant to that opponent — it may be placed again on a subsequent turn this round. If the location’s effect is an ⚡ Instant Effect, activate it.
Note: Visiting the Assistants Guild has no effect if you do not have an assistant on one of your library tile’s home action spaces.
- Tax Collector (#16)
⚡ Instant Effect - First, in turn order, each opponent must discard one card from their hand or library face up to the Tax Collector’s card area. Next, you may discard any number of cards from your hand or library to take the same number of cards from the Tax Collector’s card area. Lastly, you may shelve any/all of the cards taken from the Tax Collector’s card area.
- Yard Sale (#17)
⚡ Instant Effect - Reveal any number of cards from your hand. In turn order, each opponent may take or shelve one of your revealed cards or pass. Repeat the process in the same order until all your revealed cards are gone or all of your opponents have passed. For each of your revealed cards taken or shelved by an opponent, draw two cards from the deck, then shelve any one card from your hand.
Note: Visiting the Yard Sale has no effect if you have no cards in your hand.
- Shelfmasons Guild (#18)
- ⚡ Instant Effect - Shift any number of adjacent cards in a single row of your bookshelf any number of spaces in one direction, ensuring that you do not split your bookshelf into two separate groups at any point in the process.
- ~Timing Conflicts~
If a timing conflict arises between the effects of locations and/or the abilities of one or more special assistants, the below order of operations should be followed to determine which takes priority:
- The Effect of a Location Tile
Example: The effect of the Assistants Guild would allow an assistant to visit an occupied assistant space at the same location as the Snowman, including the Snowman’s space. - The Ability of a Previously Placed Special Assistant
Example 1: If the Goblin Sneak visits the same location as the Gelatinous Cube, the Gelatinous Cube’s ability triggers first, then the Goblin Sneak’s.
Example 2: The Ghost cannot visit the same assistant space as the Snowman, because the Snowman’s ability takes precedence.
Note: When a conflict arises between more than two special assistants, the assistant that has been at the location longest takes priority, then second longest, and so on.
- The Effect of a Location Tile