Books exist but don't actually

[Rooster]

I have over 40 books but apparently none of em are usable in research ?

[|FG| Grethor |IOA|]

I find that the easiest way to handle the books is to research furniture as quickly as possible, giving you access to book shelves. I then build a 5x12 room (big enough for the needed library and research table. Start with a basic research table and set it to research until you reach 1000 (this gives you 35 extra what you need for all research for trade). Once that is done, tear down the basic and build a regular research table (you'll have to finish the Research II research for that) and set it to 300 (exactly what you need to finish all research), then research Research III and build the advanced Table (you'll need mechanical components for this one) and finally set it to research 175 (this gives you 105 extra Thesis, one of the most valuable trade resources in the game, and they don't even cost resources to create!). It will take a bit of time, but you can easily finish all research with those numbers. You will need 20 shelves (wall or freestanding) total to hold all of those books, but it will be worth it. If you leave the advanced research table in place and leave the research to "Craft until X" then you should have a whole mess of Thesis to trade every time a trader comes by. I just pick what I want from their stock and give them all 100 extra as this significantly improves relations with the traders faction quickly. Later when I have a few animals I can use as beasts of burden I'll amp that up to 300 over and send a caravan with nothing but thesis and trade for much needed or missing resources (like say limestone bricks in a Valley map, or high value crop seeds and dirt in a Mountain map).