The Rivertown Public Library is an architectural landmark and was the headquarters for the Rivertown library system.

Location

The Rivertown Public Library is located in the Western Reaches roughly one mile west of where the Berger Bridge crosses the Juneau River, a mile and a half west from Ol' Federal, and approximately two miles west of Lake Lawrence.

History

This magnificent building was built in the final years of the 19th century, a beautiful blending of architectural styles, constructed and hand-crafted by immigrant laborers proud of their new city. Marble floors and columns featured throughout, along with mosaic tiled floors. Brass fixtures, oak and mahogany wood, and stained glass completed the look. In 1976, the building received National Treasure status from the federal government.

Through settling and age, the building shows numerous signs of buckling and cracking. A full-scale rennovation was planned in 2012 but voted down during a period when public works were under attack. The building received minor repairs in 2032, and in 2041 a wing of the building had to be closed due to safety issues. After a decade of wrangling over costs, the wing reopened in 2051 after passing safety inspections with a "fair" rating. The building made a bit of a comeback in the 2060s due to a national campaign to honor historic places, but the economic downturn in the 2070s saw the building once again fall into disrepair and little used, due to repeated rounds of budget cuts stripping away its most valuable services and resources. A third of the library was indefinitely closed in 2086.

In 2088 during the height of the superflu epidemic, some newly homeless residents took shelter in the library. Violent protesters retreated to this location as they were pursued by the police, throwing gasoline bombs from the marble steps. Through accident or sabotage, several bombs detonated inside the structure, igniting the old wood. Fueled by brittle paper, the inside of the building became an inferno. A second-story walkway collapsed under stampeding feet as people tried to flee. Much of the building was gutted by fire.

See also: Inhabitants of Rivertown Public Library

The library is a huge space and the different sections are home to wanderers, a pack of wild dogs, and Devlin Koster, who has fashioned a home around a maze of booby-traps and IEDs.

Condition

The library's interior is badly burned and large portions have been destroyed completely. While much of the building is stone, a good portion of the interior was crafted from wood and metals that warped and failed in the intense heat. The roof and upper floors are constantly crumbling and falling apart, even decades after the event. Explorers must use extreme caution when scavenging in this location. The western, northern, and eastern branches of the building are no longer connected, blocked by debris. Scavengers would need to exit one branch or wing, and enter in another.

Inhabitants

The library is in an upside down U-shape. In the southwest corner of the western branch is the home to a large pack of wild dogs; the northern branch is a popular encampment for itinerant scavengers; and the eastern wing belongs to Devlin Koster, a scavenger who has set up a series of tripwires and deadly traps as a security system to keep out intruders. He is not welcoming to travelers.

Contents

The western branch may hold a few items of value if one could get past the hostile dogs; the northern branch, like most encampments, is a place where both scavengers and their possessions may or may not be found; and Devlin's dwelling contains a good supply of food, supplies, and weapons, but is challenging to reach given the multitude of crafty traps and the fact that he patrols his home brandishing a shotgun.