Lucky in that libraries aren't solely for nobility... but not entirely.

( though that was a very different story, one so far removed from their topic of libraries. she does at least look sympathetic, knowing there are some other worlds that she's familiar with that are similar to what he describes )

Libraries are commonplace, things anyone can visit. The one I work in is solely for magical beings but on Earth there are human libraries too. Though I suppose... if literacy changed in your world it might open up the libraries to more.