• Location: Public Services Ring, Hope
• Address: W Seedway 4
• Surroundings: Formerly adjacent to the Federal Hostel and Saloon of Hope.

The Federal Library of Hope, opened in June 2635, was the last branch of the Federal Library System. Operated under the Federal News Agency, it provided curated access to knowledge and literature through GAIA’s Federal Longlist.

On January 15, 2636, the library was destroyed in a fire, erasing its collection and turning the site into a cultural and political flashpoint. The Federal Council pledged to rebuild it in 2637 as the first library constructed with sustainable Mycel-blocks, but the Individualist Party continues to oppose the project.

The Hope branch was the fourth and final Federal Library built during the Gamma Age. It quickly became a cultural and educational anchor for the agricultural community of Hope.

Its destruction in 2636 marked one of the greatest cultural losses since the Great War, igniting political conflict over the very existence of the Federal Library System.

• Construction Materials: Timber frames with stone foundations, sourced locally in Hope.
• Floors: 1
• Design Purpose: A modest, functional structure supporting reading, lending, and cultural events.

After the fire, only stone foundations and charred beams remained. The site is fenced off for safety and has become a symbolic location of mourning and protest.

• Reception & Lending Desk: Handled book check-outs, returns, and ledger updates.
• Reading Hall: Provided long communal tables and alcoves for study.
• Event Room: Hosted readings, workshops, and debates.
• Stacks (Federal Longlist Collection): Shelves of fiction, non-fiction, reference, and educational works.

Before the fire, the library had a modest but welcoming atmosphere. Bright daylight filtered through wooden-framed windows, illuminating polished stone floors and shelves lined with neatly catalogued volumes. The scent of paper and fresh wood gave the space a warm, communal tone.

Today, the ruins are stark and silent: blackened stone walls, scattered ash, and charred timber. Citizens sometimes leave flowers or notes at the fence, treating it as both a grave for lost knowledge and a site of political debate.

• Library Director: Oversaw daily operations and liaised with the Federal News Agency.
• Librarian: Managed lending, research support, and ledger entries.
• Janitor: Maintained cleanliness and basic upkeep.

• Public Access: Open to all citizens with an Allotment Card.
• Operating Hours: Mon–Fri 08:00–18:00; Sat 09:00–16:00; closed Sun & Federal Holidays.
• Operational Rhythm:
  • Morning: Returns processed; reading hall prepared.
  • Midday: Readings, workshops, or debates.
  • Afternoon: Lending peak; stacks supervised by staff.

Lending Rules

• Borrowing Limit: 4 books/month per citizen.
• Loan Period: 4 weeks.
• Accountability: All loans logged in the Large Yearbook ledger.
• Penalty: More than one late return/year → 1-year suspension.

The Hope library once offered curated collections from the Federal Longlist. Its loss erased thousands of volumes:

• Analog Alert System: An analog siren system, linked to Hope’s Local Sheriff (destroyed in the fire).
• Deputy Patrols: Routine monitoring before the incident.
• Aftermath: Since 2636, permanent deputies have been assigned to the Federal Library of Firetown to deter further sabotage.

At 3:00 AM on January 15, 2636, the library burned to the ground. No eyewitnesses were present. Traces of Hoos near the ruins raised suspicions of Jane Mendoza Gang involvement, but no proof was found.

The Federal Attorney blamed the Individualist Party, citing their ideological opposition to the system, while Individualist leaders called the accusations propaganda. The case remains unsolved.

• Ashes of Knowledge: PCs investigate the ruins and discover hidden items or texts that survived the blaze.
• The Protest at the Fence: A clash erupts between Communard mourners and Individualist demonstrators. PCs must mediate — or escalate.

• Federal Library System
• Federal News Agency
• Communardism
• Individualist Party
• Jane Mendoza Gang
• ExoHuman Media in the Gamma Age
• The Gamma Age
• Aisha Patel
• Decker Bolton

Federal Libraries within the Federal Confederation:

• Federal Library of New Kourou
• Federal Library of Firetown
• Federal Library of Hope
• Federal Library of Morningstar