Master Librarian

The Master Librarian is one of Alucard's allies in his quest to find the reason for the Castle's resurrection and his own awakening. For a price, he'll supply Alucard with weaponry, accessories, maps, and other useful articles. He is found in the library in Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. Though he seems to fear Dracula, he is not entirely loyal to him - perhaps since Dracula is not yet awake, he has fewer consequences to consider and is thus more willing to aid the Count's estranged son.

He is keeper of the library in Dracula's castle. He has accumulated wealth of knowledge over the centuries, and some special items as well, which he will part with... for a price.

Buying Items
The items that the Librarian will sell you depend on the version of the game you are playing and the progress you've made in the game. The original North American PSX (PSX NA) version and later ports based on it include many items not available in the Japanese versions or the version found in the Dracula X Chronicles. The most expensive item in any version is the Duplicator, which allows you to use any use item or weapon as many times as you want without decreasing the number you have of it. It is only available after beating the game and getting the good ending and is 500,000 G.

Selling Items
The master Librarian will not buy regular items, but will buy valuable jewels from Alucard. These are as follows:
 * Zircon - 150 G
 * Aquamarine - 800 G
 * Turquoise - 1500 G
 * Onyx - 3000 G
 * Garnet - 5000 G
 * Opal - 8000 G
 * Diamond - 20000 G

Enemy List
The Librarian is more than just a merchant. He has access to information that aids Alucard. An "Enemy List" gives the statistics for all the enemies in the game, including how much hit points they have, experience slaying them gives, types of attacks they are strong, weak, immune, or absorb, and what they drop (if you already earned that item from them). Later games would incorporate this enemy information into a Bestiary available in the normal playing menu, sometimes when a relic was found, so that you can access this information at any time. For the complete list of enemies, please see Master Librarian Enemy List.

Tactics
In addition to giving the statistics of an enemy, you can purchase tactic videos on how to defeat bosses. Note that if a tactic is already purchased, once you watch it the price that the librarian will charge will be 0 Gold.
 * Dracula - 200 G
 * Slogra & Gaibon - 500 G
 * Doppleganger 10 - 700 G
 * Hippogryph - 1000 G
 * Scylla - 1200 G
 * Minotaurus & Werewolf - 1400 G
 * Karasuman - 1800 G
 * Succubus - 1800 G
 * Cerberos - 2200 G (PS Version)
 * Cerberus - 2200 G (Dracula X Chronicles Version)
 * Olrox - 2600 G
 * Granfaloon - 2800 G
 * Richter Belmont - 3200 G
 * Darkwing Bat - 3500 G
 * Akmodan - 3500 G
 * Medusa - 3500 G
 * The Creature - 3500 G
 * Death - 4000 G
 * Doppelganger 40 - 4500 G
 * Fake Trevor, Fake Grant, Fake Sypha - 5000 G
 * Beelzebub - 6000 G
 * Galamoth - 7000 G
 * Shaft - 8500 G
 * Lord Dracula - 10000 G (PS Version)
 * True Dracula - 10000 G (Dracula X Chronicles Version)

Sound Mode
In the North American PSX version of the game, beating the game with 190% map completion will unlock Sound Test mode in the Librarian's menu. All songs from the game can be listened to here.

Japanese voice actor's free talking
In the original Japanese version, voice actor's free talking can be heard instead of Sound Test.

Stealing from the Librarian
Alucard can use Gravity Boots to lift the Librarian's chair up from the room beneath where he is sitting. For doing this once he will drop a Life Vessel. After this Alucard must repeatedly use the Gravity Boots to lift the chair without hitting the Librarian against the ceiling, with Axe Lord Armor and a Ring of Arcana being the rewards. The Dracula Tunic is also available, but will not drop until Alucard has visited the Inverted Castle at least once.

While surprised and perhaps a little confused as to what has happened, the librarian will not hold this against Alucard and will go on with business as usual.

Richter and Maria
The Master Librarian wants nothing to do with Richter or Maria and will only help young Master Alucard due to his past relations to him. If you encounter him with Richter or Maria, he will turn his back to you and offer you nothing. However, you can steal hearts from underneath him.

Castlevania Puzzle: Encore of the Night

 * Main article: Castlevania Puzzle: Encore of the Night/Arcade Mode

The Librarian acts as Alucard's tutor for how to play Story Mode in Castlevania Puzzle: Encore of the Night. He can also be unlocked in Arcade Mode as a playable character by earning the Veteran Explorer Honor.

The Librarian's shop is available in any save room, with a variety of items available for purchase. Additional items are available for sale as progress is made in the game. The Librarian will buy back most items for somewhat less than their purchasing price. Jewels in this games (which increase different affinities) can only be purchased from the Librarian.

The Jewel of Open can be obtained for free by retrieving it from the Librarian's main room in the Long Library.

Trivia

 * In the Japanese version, Master Librarian, Ferryman and Death share the same voice actor,.
 * His appearance is vaguely similar to that of, a famous artist and scientist from the Renaissance period.
 * He also bears a distinct resemblance to, scholar and itinerant preacher who first translated the Bible into English in 1384 (thus presaging the Reformation and the spread of education to the common man).