What to do with books in Baldur’s Gate 3

When you first find a book in Baldur’s Gate 3, you discover it includes part of the world’s lore, but you also learn it has some gold value to it. All books do but they take some inventory space and become heavier to carry.

As you explore the world—and Druid Grove, in particular—it’s easy to stack them up and clutter your inventory with like I did. You’ll either want to get rid of them as soon as possible or be a little worried that dropping or selling them will make you miss out on an important quest or piece of information. So, how do you proceed?

Fortunately, books in Baldur’s Gate 3 are a straightforward item, and you can follow the instructions below for all books you find in the game.

The best use of books in Baldur’s Gate 3

Read the book, put it in your inventory, and sell it.

Step one is important because some books may unlock certain quests, like reading the Apprentice’s Journal at Whispering Depths, which unlocks the Search the Cellar quest that rewards you with the spell Speak with the Dead. Your character just has to go through all pages of the book—you don’t have to actually read it.

Since side quest rewards can be useful, you should pick up as many as you can even if you don’t complete them straight away. That’s why reading every book in Baldur’s Gate 3 is important. If you love the game’s lore, reading books is an obvious choice too.

Related: Best multiclass builds in BG3, ranked.

Step two, putting the book in your inventory, is what you need to sell it later. While it may seem like a simple step, some characters, like the druids in Druid Grove, got really angry at me when I permanently borrowed their books. They called it “stealing,” for some reason, and kept their eyes on me. If you don’t want trouble, make you’re alone when you take the books.

Step three, selling it to a vendor, is a good idea to get some bonus gold. Many books I found sold for 14 gold, which is a decent value in the early game. Books that give you a quest can still be sold after you unlock them.

Are books worth keeping in Baldur’s Gate 3?

Keeping books in Baldur’s Gate 3 is not worth it. They will take up valuable inventory space and weight in your character and make it harder to navigate your bags. I highly recommend you sell them or, if you really want to keep them, send them to your camp so they don’t travel with you.