The Imperial Library

"No mention of The University is complete until one turns to the great stone building that is the Imperial Library. They say that every book that ever existed sits there, and stepping in, you could almost believe it from the sheer number of shelves and piles of books that litter the place like leaves. The staff who work there are incredibly helpful and are dedicated to making sure that those who need knowledge need only follow them to find the right tome for their needs."
~ The City of Cities

Purpose / Function

This building is meant to contain the entirety of the knowledge of The Gratic Empire, from cures for diseases and maps of the Empire to the particularities of Essic grammar and how to build a stone temple. Of course, not every book ever written in the Empire is here, but the vast majority are and they are categorized and copied out by the dozens of librarians who work here.
One area of knowledge that the Imperial Library is quiet on is mages and magical theory. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this information is carefully guarded by The College of Mages and not generally open to the public.

Alterations

The building has needed to expand over the years to fit the growing number of books brought back from foreign lands as well as those being produced domestically. As of today, there are four extra wings that have been added to the original stone building, making the building look like a haphazard cross when viewed from above.

Architecture

The main central portion of the library is a solid grey stone, and this portion is some twenty feet tall, making it easily taller than the other University buildings. The other portions that have been added to this structure are a mixture of brick walls and wooden support beams, creating a stark contrast between the original library and its modern-day size.
Inside, the place is a maze of shelves, with the central library portion having a second-floor mezzanine and the rest of the shelves being on the ground floor. A librarian can navigate them skillfully, but other people in the area tend to get lost.

History

This building was built before the construction of the University, and the latter quickly took over the area surrounding it in the first few decades of its existence. Now, the two have a healthy relationship both spatially and goal-wise.

Type

Library

Parent Location

Gratic City

Art Credit: emperorcharlesii (me!)