Enchanting Table

Enchantment Table is an added block. Notch has stated that Enchanting will work in three stages and the effects will be based on the spell you choose, but a random loot element will be included as well. Each spell will cost the player experience levels but in turn allow the player to enchant armor and swords so that they will last longer, be more powerful and give their color more of a gloss look. This block was added in the 1.9 pre release 3 update.

The Enchantment Table cannot be picked up by hand, despite it breaking instantly. It is unknown what tool, if any, can be used to pick up an Enchantment Table.

History
Notch first tweeted about the Enchantment Table on September 30th 2011.

Bugs

 * In 1.9 prerelease 3 SMP, if you enchant an item and then use it, the enchantment will disappear. If you reconnect to the server, the item will still be unenchanted, but your skill points will be back.

Trivia

 * Notch commented on Reddit "Oh, it's more magical than that! It automatically opens up and turns towards players who get close to it. When nobody is around, the books is closed and spins slowly. Because magic."
 * Notch comments on other book animations. "Yes, the pages flip randomly every now and then."
 * On October 1st 2011, Notch tweeted an image of the enchantment screen, with enchantments written in the Standard Galactic Alphabet. The first enchantment translates onto "Well Played Internets You Are Good", the second translated into "These Names Will Be Random And Confusing", and the third translates to "Each Spell Costs Experience Levels". The Standard Galactic Alphabet or SGA was originally created by Tom Hall for use in the Commander Keen series of computer games.
 * When the Enchantment table is nearby a Bookshelf, SGA lettering will start to fly to the Enchantment Table