The Encyclopedia Gallifreya was a sentient series of encyclopaedic volumes, (PROSE: Citation Needed [+]Jacqueline Rayner, The Target Storybook (2019).) in the form of purple liquid in bottles, (TV: Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS [+]Steve Thompson, Doctor Who series 7 (BBC One, 2013).) with one volume for each current incarnation of the Doctor. (PROSE: Citation Needed) Instead of being traditionally read, voices could be heard from within the bottles. The Eleventh Doctor kept this collection in his TARDIS library. (TV: Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS [+]Steve Thompson, Doctor Who series 7 (BBC One, 2013).)
Following the Fall of Gallifrey, the Encyclopaedia linked all of its copies so they could all auto-update based on the actions of the Time Lords in real time. As the Doctor never bothered to check their copy, this left them ignorant that the remainder of their species still lived. (PROSE: Citation Needed [+]Jacqueline Rayner, The Target Storybook (2019).)
When Clara Oswald hid in the library to escape the time zombie that was following her, volume four of its 11 bottles began to spill. The vapour contained in the volume floated around the room, and voices speaking were heard. (TV: Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS [+]Steve Thompson, Doctor Who series 7 (BBC One, 2013).)
Behind the scenes[]
- The name was likely a Gallifreyan play on the Encyclopaedia Britannica.
- On the BBC's official Doctor Who site, the work takes the older British spelling of Encyclopaedia Gallifreya.