"need a fantasy library" Topic

Just checked my old CITYBOOKS to no avail. My Sleepy Hollow town will include a small library. Maybe it's a place of magic books, maybe it's a magic place of books. Or both. Surely someone has done a scenario of an arcane library? Any system, as I will just use the writeups and adjust to my own rules.

Here is a product that I purchased, and I have used it, successfully: The Bookshelf Stuffer, Vol. 5: Arcane Library.

This product consists of random tables listing partial titles, and authors. It may not sound sexy, but it is a lot of fun. It sounds like this product would be a perfect fit for you. I do not own any interest in this product. I am just a fan of it.

In my RPG campaign, I name every NPC. Every single one, choosing a name from pre-generated lists. Naming every NPC has value, and "Wow!"-factor. Naming every book they touch on the shelf of a mage's library, has that same impact on my players. It is also fun to generate multiple titles by the same author. This can lead to building a possible NPC mage which the PC's may later meet up with; it can build depth to your game world, making it more believable.

Anyway, that has been my experience with it. I highly recommend it to you. Cheers!

PS: I re-read your post, and I think I missed what you are looking for. Hopefully you will find this to be a useful touch to add to what you are looking for. Cheers2!

The Necronomicon is in the card catalog. It's never been checked out, officially, but it's not in the shelves, not even in the stacks.
The librarians just shrug their shoulders. "Maybe it's in inter library loan to Miskatonic." More shoulder shrugs.

But…

No, that looks very helpful, thanks.

Things from the Basement might have something:

Links to products:
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Joerg, I have that, and it is very nice, but too tall to fit inside your BUILDINGS!!! In fact, having that is why I'm asking about scenario ideas. (I do not see the scrolls with it, though?)

It sticks in my mind that there was a Discworld RPG with something related to Unseen U's library, and "Call of Cthulhu's "Miskatonic U" (or was it "Arkham?") volume might also be helpful.

For books and authors, google around the Lovecraft circle for a bit. It was sort of a group project, with all his friends and admirers chipping in a title and author, frequently with a suitably gruesome history. I can try to put something together, but it might be a few days.

Also take a look at Henry Petroski, The Book on the Book Shelf. Putting and keeping books in a library has not always been done the way it is done today. Hmm. If "Sleepy Hollow" is supposed to exist in late 18th or early 19th Century reality, you might also want to check into the history of public libraries. In the modern era, it's shorter than you'd think. It is all very well to deviate from history, but you should know when you're doing it.

Got scrolls and books from WG Vault by Grinning Scull look like fun. I'm looking at old Runequest stuff to see if there is some sort of randomizing table for llankhor Mae libraries.

The Bookshelf Stuffer is multiple files, I'm seeing about getting the others.

Robert, yes, the Sleepy Hollow library looks like it is going to be in Granny's cabin by Miniature Building Authority. It is the building that has high enough roof and enough windowless wall space for the three shelves.

Here we go:
link
First free public library is 1790 or 1833 depending on how you define it. I would suggest that, like Franklin for the 1790 example, Ebenezer Whately left a collection to the town in his will. It contains some interesting volumes. The Cultes des Ghouls, perhaps? And the Wormius (Greek) translation of the Necronomicon was last seen in North America prior to a certain Salem library going up in smoke in 1692. (The thing about a really thorough fire, of course, it that you can't be sure exactly what was burned.) N.B. An 18th or early 19th Century minister, whether Congregational or Anglican, was certainly taught Greek in school. So there's someone in town who can read it, but not necessarily anyone who has.

The Awakening, however, spurned an 'unconverted ministry" who flaunted their erudition but couldn't save souls. So while you are correct that it is likely a minister knew some NT Greek, it is not certain. And knowing Latin would be papist. I suspect, however, that my grandchildren when doing gothic horror skirmishes will not be overly concerned with such things. But their home IS filled with books . . . .

Doc,
Are you looking for physical models to create a library? I scratch built several pieces a couple years ago when I was playing Metro 2033. Book shelves, tables etc. I would sell if you are interested, I can take photos.

Thanks. I have THINGS FROM THE BASEMENT's shelves and books as pictured, and am making more scrolls etc. It is to be a small and probably hidden library suitable for a Hidden Hollow. I expect more would be overkill.