The library hums with unfamiliar energy, a stark contrast to the quiet library you remember. You are a ghost, a student from the very first graduating class of 1969, whose life was tragically cut short. Your last memory is a chilling whisper, a fleeting shadow, and then... nothing.
You drift now, tethered to this library, your only purpose to uncover the truth: who killed you, and why? The modern students, engrossed in their devices, don't see you, but the library's "Search All," its main search tool, seems to shimmer with a faint, resonant light. Perhaps the answers lie hidden within its vast archives.
You stand by the main entrance on the First Floor.
[[Explore the First Floor->first-floor-landing]]
[[Contemplate your spectral existence->contemplate-ghost]] Arriving on the first floor, you see the large, open room is full of light and energy. Sunlight shines through big windows, lighting up comfortable study spots where busy students are working. You can hear the quiet sound of people talking and the soft tap of keyboards. You see magazines and journals as you walk further into the library. On the left as you enter is the Circulation Desk then the Reference Desk. On the right is the IT Desk, and the student printers. Tutors are waiting in the back.
[[Look at the magazines and journals->periodicals-initial]]
[[Go to the Circulation Desk->circ-desk-initial]]
[[Go to the Reference Desk->ref-desk-initial]]
[[Go to the IT Desk->it-desk-initial]]
[[Go to the Tutoring Center->tutoring-center-initial]]
[[Book a study room->study-rooms-initial]]
[[Go to the 1st floor printers->printers-initial]]
[[Look for the stairs or elevator to the Second Floor->second-floor-landing]] You float, intangible, observing the bustling, yet focused, students. The air is thick with Wi-Fi signals and the faint, warm scent of active electronics – so different from the ink and paper of your time. This state of being, a constant whisper in the modern world, reinforces your drive: find out what happened, and perhaps, find peace. The library's core seems to draw you in, a faint warmth emanating from the circulation desk.
[[Return to the First Floor->first-floor-landing]] You drift over to the shelves marked "Periodicals." In your time, these racks would have been overflowing with thick, bound academic journals and dozens of daily newspapers on long wooden rods. Now, the physical collection is much smaller. You see glossy popular magazines and the day's major newspapers, but many of the signs point students towards the library's online databases for scholarly articles.
[[There are no clues here right now. You return to the main area.->first-floor-landing]] The Circulation Desk is busy, with staff helping students check items in and out. It doesn't seem like there are any clues for you here right now.
[[Leave the desk->first-floor-landing]] The Reference Desk is staffed by a librarian helping a student with a research question. It doesn't seem like there are any clues for you here right now.
[[Leave the desk->first-floor-landing]] You drift towards a brightly lit desk with a sign that reads "IT Help Desk." This is a concept you don't recognize. In your time, the closest thing was the Audio-Visual closet in the basement. You observe a student complaining about the Wi-Fi connection on their laptop, and a staff member patiently talking them through a password reset. The language they use—"network authentication," "cache," "operating system"—is completely foreign to you.
[[There are no clues here, only confusing words. You float away.->first-floor-landing]] You move towards the back of the first floor, to a welcoming area marked "Tutoring Center." You see a schedule for appointments, but also a sign that encourages students to 'Just drop in!' for help. It's an organized space offering both planned sessions and on-the-spot assistance. You observe one tutor with a scheduled appointment patiently drawing a diagram for a student, while another helps a small group that just walked up with a quick question.
[[This is a place of support, but not for your particular mystery. You drift back to the main area.->first-floor-landing]] You drift towards a hallway lined with glass-walled rooms. Inside each one, you see small groups of students working together. They talk animatedly, pointing at a large screen on the wall displaying a shared document, and covering a whiteboard with notes and equations. In your day, the entire library was a place for silent, individual study.
[[You leave the students to their work and return to the main area.->first-floor-landing]] he Printers and Scanners) You float over to the machines designated as the "1st floor printers." A student walks up, swipes their ID card at a small card reader, and then taps a glowing touchscreen. A moment later, a stack of warm, neatly-printed pages slides out into a tray. You remember the library having a single, enormous photocopier that cost a dime a page and smelled of strange chemicals.
[[There are no clues at these strange machines. You float away.->first-floor-landing]]Arriving on the second floor, you immediately notice the change. The energetic buzz from downstairs fades into a quiet, scholarly hush. Straight ahead of you is the balcony, offering a bird's-eye view of the floor below. When you look to your left, you see a dedicated area with library offices and the student printers. Turning to your right, you see rows of shorter bookshelves. In the corner near them are a few private study rooms. Along the two far walls with large windows, you see clusters of comfortable chairs and sofas, inviting students to sit and spend some time. Your current goal is to find the book with **Location** `GR110.N7 B53 1969`.
[[Search the bookshelves for your book.->search-stacks-start]]
[[Go towards the study rooms.->study-rooms-second-floor]]
[[Go to the 2nd floor printers.->printers-second-floor]]
[[Look over the balcony.->balcony-view]]
[[Drift towards the comfortable seating by the windows.->seating-area-second-floor]]
[[Go back to the first floor.->first-floor-landing]] The rows of bookshelves are quiet. Each aisle is marked with a sign indicating the range of Location letters it holds. You look at the information for your book: `GR110.N7 B53 1969`. To find the "GR" section, you'll need to choose the right aisle.
Which aisle do you enter?
[[Aisle Sign: A - F->search-stacks-wrong-aisle]]
[[Aisle Sign: G - L->search-stacks-aisle-g]]
[[Aisle Sign: M - P->search-stacks-wrong-aisle]] You float past a few quiet computer workstations on your way to the study rooms. The rooms themselves are similar to the ones downstairs—private spaces set aside for students to work together. Some are occupied by quiet, focused groups, while others are empty and available.
[[There are no new clues here. You float back to the main area.->second-floor-landing]] You find the printers on the second floor. Just like the ones downstairs, they're tucked into a corner across from the restrooms, near the offices you saw earlier. Unlike the busy machines downstairs, these are silent. They sit patiently, their small screens glowing in the quiet of the floor.
[[No clues here. You float back to the main area.->second-floor-landing]] You drift to the edge of the balcony railing and look down. From up here, the busy first floor looks like a silent movie. You see students coming and going, talking with friends, and meeting with staff at the service desks, but the sounds are just a distant, gentle murmur.
[[You pull back from the edge.->second-floor-landing]] You drift down this aisle, looking at the location labels—DA, E, F... These aren't right. You need to find the 'GR' section.
[[Go back and choose another aisle.->search-stacks-start]] This looks promising. The books in this aisle have Locations starting with G, H, J, and so on. Now you need to find the right shelf for the number 110. The shelves are labeled with smaller ranges.
Which shelf do you focus on?
[[Shelf: GR 1 - 49->search-stacks-wrong-shelf]]
[[Shelf: GR 50 - 99->search-stacks-wrong-shelf]]
[[Shelf: GR 100 - 149->search-stacks-discovery]] You look along this shelf, but the numbers are too low. You need to find 110.
[[Look at another shelf in this aisle.->search-stacks-aisle-g]] You look along the shelf until you find the exact spot. Your spectral fingers trace along the spines of the books, reading the location labels... GR110.N7 A41... GR110.N7 C25... You find the precise place where GR110.N7 B53 1969 should be.
But there's nothing there. Just a hollow space on the shelf between two other books.
The book is gone. The record in the Search All said it was AVAILABLE, but it isn't here. This feels important. This is a problem you can't solve on your own. You need to get help by reporting the problem downstairs.
[[Return downstairs to report the missing book.->report-missing-book-choice]] You are back on the first floor. You need to report that the book is missing from the shelf so you can find out what truly happened to it. Where do you go for help?
[[Go to the Circulation Desk.->circ-desk-report-missing]]
[[Go to the Reference Desk.->ref-desk-report-missing]] You drift back to the Circulation Desk. A staff member is quietly working at their computer. You focus your spectral energy on their screen, projecting the image of the book, the feeling of the hollow space on the shelf.
The computer screen flickers. A single, old record file seems to pop up on its own, startling the staff member. "Whoa," they mutter, leaning closer. "Weird glitch. What's this?"
They look at the record that has appeared—it's for "Whispers of the Valley". They see the status: AVAILABLE. "Huh," they say, "I bet a student couldn't find this. Let's check the full history before I put a trace on it."
They tap a few keys and pull up the item's administrative log. Their eyes widen slightly. "Well, look at that..." You see them point to a note in the record, a manual annotation from decades ago. It reads:
"Note added: Oct. 1969. Per T. Vance, Head Librarian. Item to be monitored. Do not weed from collection under any circumstances."
"Wow," the staff member whispers. "An order from the Head Librarian fifty years ago to never get rid of this book. Wonder what that's about." They flag the book's record for a search and turn back to their other work. You, however, have the clue you need.
[[You have the clue. You need to learn more about Taylor Vance.->investigate-vance-start]] You approach the Reference Desk, the library's hub for tricky research questions. The Reference Librarian is at their computer, as they edit a document. This feels like the right place to bring a puzzle like a book that exists in the catalog but not on the shelf.
You focus your ghostly energy on the librarian's work, projecting the problem of the missing book. The librarian pauses, blinking as an alert flashes in the corner of their screen—a data integrity flag connected to the document they are editing. Intrigued, they click on it. The system automatically pulls up the record for the anomalous item: "Whispers of the Valley".
"That's odd," the librarian muses. "Why would this old record be flagged now?" You watch as they open the full administrative log for the book. "Well, now that's a story," they whisper. You see them point to a highlighted note:
"Note added: Oct. 1969. Per T. Vance, Head Librarian. Item to be monitored. Do not weed from collection under any circumstances."
"A direct preservation order from the Head Librarian in 1969. Fascinating." They make a note to investigate further and return to their document. You have the clue you came for.
[[You have the clue. You need to learn more about Taylor Vance.->investigate-vance-start]] (Title: Searching for a Person) You drift back towards a glowing computer screen. The chaotic energy of the wider 'internet' still feels like a roaring storm you can't touch. You instinctively focus on the library's Search All; its quiet, steady hum feels like the right place to find real, verifiable history about a person connected to this library.
You are ready to search for information about Taylor Vance.
:: investigate-vance-results (Title: Search Results) Your search for Taylor Vance returns two articles from different sources. You've already seen the first one. The second is new.
SEARCH SUCCESSFUL: 2 Results Found
"New Archives Wing to Preserve College History" - The Daily Gazette, Sept. 15, 1969 [[Viewed->vance-article-1]]
"Tragedy on Campus; Student Found Dead" - The Times Union, Oct. 30, 1969 [[Click to View Full Text->vance-article-2]] You've already seen this article about the new library wing, which mentioned Head Librarian Taylor Vance.
[[Look at the other result.->investigate-vance-results]] (//The Times Union//, Oct. 30, 1969) A tragedy has struck the college campus. The body of a student was discovered late last night inside the library. Police have not yet released the student's name pending family notification and have stated that the cause of death is under active investigation.
An emotional Head Librarian, Taylor Vance, spoke briefly with reporters. "This is a dark day for the college and for the library, which should always be a place of safety and discovery," Vance said, their voice heavy with emotion. "We are cooperating fully with the police and have provided them with any materials that could be relevant to their investigation."
[[Your own death... reported in the newspaper. You need a moment to process this.->process-the-news]] Your search for Taylor Vance returns two articles from different sources. You've already seen the first one. The second is new.
SEARCH SUCCESSFUL: 2 Results Found
"New Archives Wing to Preserve College History" - The Daily Gazette, Sept. 15, 1969 [[Viewed->vance-article-1]]
"Tragedy on Campus; Student Found Dead" - The Times Union, Oct. 30, 1969 [[Click to View Full Text->vance-article-2]] The words on the screen blur. "Student Found Dead." That's you.
It's one thing to know you're a ghost, to drift unseen through the halls of a place you once walked. It's another thing entirely to see your own end reduced to a headline, a brief article in a college paper. The cold, black-and-white text makes it real in a way it wasn't moments before.
For a long moment, you feel nothing but a hollow echo. Then, the shock gives way to a new feeling: a cold, quiet resolve. You're not just a lost spirit; you're a murder victim. And you will find the truth.
[[The shock fades, replaced by determination. You need to know more about the investigation.->investigate-the-investigation]] Your ghostly sorrow has hardened into resolve... you find an article from a week later...
**Title:** "Investigation into Student's Death Focuses on Book"
**Source:** *The Times Union*, Nov. 5, 1969
**Article Excerpt:** "...Police were seen leaving the library with the book and have interviewed its author, college professor Jonathan Blackwood, on multiple occasions..."
[[The book was evidence... and the author was a suspect. You need to find out more about Jonathan Blackwood.->investigate-blackwood-start]]
The investigation has now centered on the author of the book, Professor Jonathan Blackwood. You return to the Search All to find everything you can about him.
:: investigate-blackwood-results
Your search for Jonathan Blackwood yields a variety of results, including the book you already know about and some new items.
**SEARCH SUCCESSFUL: 3 Results Found**
1. `[BOOK]` Whispers of the Valley... by J. Blackwood, 1969 [[Notes added->blackwood-book-revisit]]
2. `[E-BOOK]` *The Legends of the Mohawk Valley*, by Jonathan Blackwood (2005 Digital Edition) [[Click to View->blackwood-ebook]]
3. `[SCHOLARLY JOURNAL]` "The Weeping Woman Mythos in Upstate New York," by J. Blackwood. *Journal of American Folklore*, Vol. 82, **1969**. [[Click to View->blackwood-journal]]You look at the record for "Whispers of the Valley" again. You know this is the book from your memory, the one that was taken by the police as evidence, and the one that had the mysterious note from Head Librarian Taylor Vance attached to its record.
There are no new clues in the record itself, but looking at it again solidifies its central importance to your story.
[[Go back to the search results.->investigate-blackwood-start]]
You click the link and the screen displays the cover of an e-book. It's another book on local folklore by Jonathan Blackwood, but this one was published in 2005, long after your time.
You skim the first few pages. The writing is dry and academic, lacking the passionate spark you remember from his earlier work. It seems he continued his career for many years after your death, becoming a well-established, if unremarkable, regional historian. There are no personal details or clues here, just a ghost of the man you knew.
[[This book holds no answers. Go back to the search results.->investigate-blackwood-start]]
(//Journal of American Folklore//, 1969) The article details the historical origins of the "Weeping Woman" myth, tracing its evolution through various communities in the Capital Region. You skim the article, but your spectral eye is drawn to a small note at the bottom of the first page.
Footnote: I am particularly indebted to my research assistant, Robin Petrova, for their tireless work in the library archives. Their insights into the original 19th-century sightings were second to none.
[[A research assistant... someone who worked closely with Blackwood in the library, right before your murder. You must find out what happened to Robin Petrova.->investigate-petrova-start]] You have a new name: Robin Petrova. You use the Search All one last time. The search returns a long list of results spanning decades. You realize you only care about the student from 1969.
**What is the best way to narrow these results?**
1. [[Read through all 12 results one by one.->petrova-search-wrong-1]]
2. [[Use the 'Filter by Date' option to show only results from 1969.->petrova-apply-filter]]
3. [[Search for a different name.->petrova-search-wrong-2]] You drift towards the comfortable chairs and sofas clustered by the large windows. A few students are sitting here, reading quietly or looking out at the campus below. It's peaceful. You look out the window, watching students make their way along the concrete paths and across the campus green, living their lives in the sunshine.
[[You turn away from the window and float back to the main area.->second-floor-landing]] This would work eventually, but it's very slow. Professional researchers always use filters to save time and work more efficiently.
[[Try another way.->investigate-petrova-start]] You choose to filter by date and enter **1969**. The long list shrinks to a single, perfect result.
**SEARCH RESULTS: 1 result found for "Robin Petrova" (1969)**
1. `[NEWSPAPER]` "Library Science Scholarship Awarded" - The College Chronicle, March 7, 1969
[[Click to View Full Text->petrova-final-clue]] You know the name is correct. Changing the name won't help you sort through these results. The problem isn't the name, it's the date.
[[Try another way.->investigate-petrova-start]] "Among the recipients of this year's Library Science scholarship is second-year student **Robin Petrova**. A talented student worker in the library, Petrova will use the grant to assist Professor Jonathan Blackwood with his research on local folklore..." This is it. The book, the professor, the research assistant... but the book is gone. Its record said "AVAILABLE," but you found only a hollow space.
[[There must be another record somewhere...->check-services-final]] You feel a pull towards a different part of the Search All system—not for finding items in your library, but for finding them elsewhere. Your search for the book *"Whispers of the Valley"* in this new system reveals a startling record.
**Item Status:** The College Library's copy was reported **LOST** in 1970. The record shows no other library has the book... but it offers one last option.
[[Check for available services->final-reveal]] You click the link to [Check for available services]. The screen changes. A single, digitized document is revealed—a letter, scanned and preserved.
**A Final Confession, from the desk of Taylor Vance (1970)**
"To whom it may concern: I could not allow the library's copy of *'Whispers of the Valley'* and its accompanying materials to remain. The author, Professor Jonathan Blackwood, was dangerously obsessed. His student research assistant discovered his 'folklore' was a cover for his own dark actions. When the student confronted him, Blackwood killed them in the library. The student's name was **Robin Petrova**. I knew, but couldn't prove it. I took the only evidence—the book and Robin's compiled research notes—and sent them to a trusted colleague for safekeeping. I then marked our copy as 'LOST' to break the trail. May Robin finally rest in peace."
The words fade. The confusion, the cold feeling that has tethered you to this place, begins to dissolve. You know who you are. You know what happened. You are no longer just a ghost. You are free.
**THE END**