Screenshot 1 of 3. A librarian villager stands behind a lectern holding an open book in a stone cave, shown with Librarian's Balance.
What Librarian's Balance works with.
| Platform | Java Edition |
|---|---|
| Loaders | Fabric, Forge, NeoForge, Quilt |
| Minecraft versions | 1.17, 1.17.1, 1.18.2, 1.19.4, 1.20.6, 1.21.11, 26.1.2, 26.2, 26.3 |
| Environment | Client, Server |
Librarian's Balance is a datapack that also ships as a mod for Fabric, Forge, NeoForge and Quilt, and it reworks how librarian villagers sell enchanted books. Random trades stop at Level 3, Mending becomes a treasure find, and you steer trades by placing books on a lectern. It is required on the server and optional for players who join.
Loaders and versions
- Fabric, Forge and Quilt: Minecraft 1.17 to 26.3. The newest build needs no dependencies.
- NeoForge: Minecraft 1.20 to 26.3. The newest build needs no dependencies.
How librarian trades change
Place an enchanted book on a librarian's lectern and their first or second book trade becomes that book. The emerald price is the cost of its highest-priced enchantment multiplied by the number of enchantments on it. Level 1 costs 7 emeralds, Level 5 costs 48, and Mending costs 52. Treasure enchantments bought this way arrive as sealed, untradable variants.
- Random librarian book trades stop at Level 3 by default.
- For Level 4 or 5, own one book of that enchantment, buy a duplicate through the lectern trade, merge both in an anvil, and repeat.
- Librarians never offer Mending at random. Find it in End Cities or Ancient Cities, about as often as an armour trim, then put it on a lectern to trade for more.
- Prices above 64 emeralds convert to emerald blocks, and discounts are removed.
Installing it as a mod or a datapack
- 1.Mod route. Pick the file for your loader and Minecraft release, drop it in the mods folder, and launch with that loader's profile. The mod install guide covers the steps.
- 2.Datapack route. Take the plain datapack file from the Modrinth page instead of a loader file. It needs no mod loader.
- 3.If trades misbehave, run /function libal:load to refresh the pack.
Configuration and trade-offs
Everything can be toggled with /function libal:config, which needs OP. Datapack users can edit settings.mcfunction under data > libal > functions instead. The pack is compatible with Amendments and Supplementaries. On 1.21 to 1.21.1 the optional Tome Reader mod adds better placement and enchantment transfer. Mojang's experimental Villager Rebalance feature pairs well with it.
The trade-off is pacing. On a fresh world, the creator needed two hours to find a first Mending book, so expect exploration before you unlock it.
Librarian's Balance datapack overview
Questions about Librarian's Balance.
4 questions
How do I install Librarian's Balance?
Place the mod file for your loader in the mods folder and launch with that loader's profile, or take the plain datapack file instead. If trades do not behave, run /function libal:load to refresh the pack. It is Java Edition only, and the newest release needs no other mods.
Does Librarian's Balance work without a mod loader?
Yes. It ships as a plain datapack as well as loader-specific mod files. The datapack carries the same trading changes and can be configured with /function libal:config or by editing settings.mcfunction inside the pack.
Can I still get Mending from librarians?
Not at random. Librarians do not offer Mending until you find one in an End City or Ancient City. Once you own the book, place it on a librarian's lectern and their trade changes to sell more, at 52 emeralds for a plain Mending book.
Do players need it installed on a multiplayer server?
The server needs it. Players who join do not have to install anything, since the client side is optional. The creator suggests it for survival servers where enchantment progression feels too fast.
