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Main Objective
- Access the card catalogue in the Arlington Library.
Optional Objective
- Download the complete library archives.
Area Note
If you haven't explored much of the map south of
Megaton, then the easiest way to get to the Arlington Library is to skirt around the western edge of Washington D.C. and follow a path that takes you past
Grayditch, the
Red Racer Factory, and the Flooded Metro. If you use this route, then you'll encounter two raider camps along the way, and you'll find beds, skill books, and more at the camps.
Walkthrough
When you enter the library (#1), you'll be greeted by Scribe Yearling, who won't exactly offer you a warm embrace. But if you're polite to her, then she'll make you a deal. She'll tell you that she's scavenging
Pre-War Books for the Brotherhood of Steel, and she'll offer you 100 caps (plus 10 experience points) for each one that you bring her. She'll also give you the password for the terminal in the lobby, which will give you the information needed for the main objective of the quest.
"The collected knowledge of a lost age is worth far more than any weapon. Do not underestimate the power of the written word."
Note: Yearling is a good source of income. You can find 10
Pre-War Books (worth 1000 caps) in the library alone. So be polite to her and don't kill her.
To download the library archives, you'll need to explore deeper into the library and kill the raiders who are infesting it. In most places, you'll have Brotherhood of Steel paladins helping you out, so the extermination shouldn't be problematic. You won't need to hack into the public terminal with the archives (#10), either, so the entire quest should be rather straightforward. Just be sure to explore the library thoroughly to pick up all of the
Pre-War Books (#3, 8, 10, 11, 12) and skill books (#4, 6, 10, 11, 12) that you can find.
When you return to Moira Brown in
Megaton, if you only completed the main objective, then she'll reward you with 200 caps. If you also completed the optional objective, then she'll add in 50 more caps plus a copy of
Lying, Congressional Style.
1 - Library Foyer
This is where you'll meet Scribe Yearling, and if you hack into the check-in terminal here, you'll gain access to the card catalogue, which will complete the main objective of the quest. You can also rifle through five ammunition boxes here.
2 - Battle
When you enter the back part of the main library building, a handful of raiders will attack you. But you'll have a couple of Brotherhood of Steel paladins on your side, so you shouldn't have much trouble with them.
3 - Pre-War Books
You can find up to 10
Pre-War Books in the library.
4 - Office (Upper Floor)
You'll find a
Big Book of Science on the desk here.
5 - Bed (Upper Level)
6 - Recreation Room
In this room you'll find a first aid box and a copy of
Tales of a Junktown Jerky Vendor.
7 - Utility Room
You'll find a computer terminal in this room. If you hack into it, you'll be able to turn off the turrets in the room to the north (#8). You can also grab the contents of a first aid box here.
8 - Restoration Room
Inside this room you'll find grenades, ammunition, a
Pre-War Book (on the conveyor belt in the northeastern corner), and a box labeled "restoration supplies." You might need the
Ink Container from the box for the side quest
Stealing Independence. You can also turn off the turrets in this room via the computer terminal in the room to the south (#7).
9 - Turret Control System
If you hack into the computer here, you can deactivate the turret to the south.
10 - Terminal Room
You'll find a few things of interest inside this room: a copy of
Tumblers Today (on a desk), a safe and computer terminal (you can pick open the safe or hack into the computer to open it), a public terminal (where you can download the library archives and complete the optional objective for the quest), and a
Pre-War Book (next to the public terminal).
11 - Small Rooms (Upper / Middle Levels)
If you enter the Children's Wing from the southern exit in the Media Archive (Exit D), then you'll find yourself in a small room with a set of shelves in the corner. You can pick up ammunition, meds, three
Pre-War Books, and a copy of
Guns and Bullets from the shelves.
If you drop down through the hole in the floor, then you'll find yourself in another small room, this one with a wall safe in it. If you drop down once again, then you'll end up on the main level of the Children's Wing. There isn't any way to start on the main level and work your way up to the rooms.
12 - Dining Nook
You'll find a
Pre-War Book on a table here, and a copy of
Lying, Congressional Style on a counter.
13 - Trapped Room
Assuming you survive the trap, you'll find three ammunition boxes to loot.
14 - Sheet Music Book
You'll find a
Sheet Music Book on the floor here by a music stand. After completing the side quest
Agatha's Song, you'll be able to trade one of these books (there are six in total) to Agatha for the unique
Scoped .44 Magnum
Blackhawk.
Exits:
- Exit to the wasteland.
- Doorway between the Lobby and the Media Archive.
- Doorway between the Lobby and the Children's Wing.
- Doorway between the Media Archive and the Children's Wing. You won't be able to reach this doorway from the main level of the Children's Wing.
