---
url: https://pencel.ai/docs/concepts/library.md
description: >-
  Library is where your knowledge and your documents live. Knowledge is what
  your rooms read and follow; documents are what you and your rooms make.
---

# Library

**Library** keeps the two kinds of files Pencel works with in one place, and keeps them apart:

* **Knowledge** is what your rooms read and follow: your rules, price lists, product sheets and background on your business.
* **Documents** are what you and your rooms make: proposals, reports, spreadsheets and slide decks.

Click **Library** in the left sidebar. The panel next to it has a **Knowledge** section and a **Documents** section.

## What you can do here

* Give Pencel your rules and background once, so every room works from them.
* Decide, for each knowledge doc, whether Pencel reads it always, only when it's relevant, or not at all.
* Find, edit and share every document you or your rooms wrote.
* Move a finished document into Knowledge so your rooms can read it from then on.

## Knowledge

Click **All knowledge**, or one of your folders, in the panel. The page lists your knowledge docs with:

| Column | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| **Pencel reads** | **Always** (every task), **When relevant** (only when the task needs it) or **Paused** (kept, but not used). |
| **Applies to** | Which rooms read it: **All programs**, one room by name, or none. |
| **Used** | How often Pencel has used it. |
| **Updated** | When it last changed. |

Search finds words in titles and in the text itself. The **Applies to** buttons above the list narrow it to one room.

Keep **Always** docs few and short. Pencel reads them on every task, which uses more credits.

### Add knowledge

Click **Add knowledge** at the top of the page, or **+** next to Knowledge in the panel:

| Choice | Use it to |
|---|---|
| **Upload or paste** | Add PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Markdown or text files, or paste text. |
| **Web page** | Keep a readable copy of a page and refresh it when you ask, daily or weekly. See [Keep a web page in Knowledge](https://pencel.ai/docs/guides/linking-web-pages.html). |
| **Sync a folder** | Bring in a folder of notes from your computer. Its subfolders and links between notes are kept. |
| **Write with AI** | Describe a guideline or background doc and Pencel drafts it. |
| **Start from a template** | Fill in a ready-made outline, like an approval process. |
| **Blank doc** | Write one yourself. |

### Change how Pencel uses a doc

Click a doc to open it. The column on the right sets **Pencel reads it**, **Applies to** and **Folder**, and shows where the doc came from. Changes save right away. **Back to Knowledge** returns to the list.

A web page doc is read only. Use **Sync now** to refresh it. A synced folder's ⋯ menu in the panel has **Sync now** and **Disconnect**.

Docs your rooms saved for later are under **Saved from rooms**.

## Documents

Click **All documents** in the panel. Each file shows as a preview of its first lines, with who made it: you, a room, a workflow or a chat.

* **New** drafts a file with AI, tailors a document you already have, starts a blank document, spreadsheet or slide deck, or imports a file. You can also drop files on the page.
* Click a file to open it in its editor, with AI help built in.

To have rooms read a document, open its menu and choose **Move to Knowledge**. Pick a folder and how Pencel reads it. **Keep for a room** instead adds it to one room's own materials.

For editing, version history, import and export, see [Documents](https://pencel.ai/docs/concepts/documents.html).

## Where are skills and facts?

* **Skills** (reusable know-how for one kind of task) are in **Studio ▸ Skills**. See [Studio](https://pencel.ai/docs/concepts/studio.html).
* **Facts about your business**, like your payment terms, are in **Settings ▸ Memory**. See [Memory](https://pencel.ai/docs/concepts/memory.html).

## Common questions

**I had bookmarks to Knowledge and Documents. Do they still work?** Yes. They open the matching section of Library.

**What's the difference between Knowledge and Documents?** Knowledge is read by your rooms as they work. Documents are your work, and rooms read one only when you point them to it: type `@` in a room's message box and pick the file.

## Related

* [Knowledge](https://pencel.ai/docs/concepts/knowledge.html)
* [Documents](https://pencel.ai/docs/concepts/documents.html)
* [Teach Pencel about your business](https://pencel.ai/docs/guides/teach-pencel-about-your-business.html)
* [Studio](https://pencel.ai/docs/concepts/studio.html)
* [Memory](https://pencel.ai/docs/concepts/memory.html)