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[Balthasar]

At the moment books have no real function, since the crafting system was overworked and now bases mostly on blueprints. Also, speaking bout them, the most people come up with the idea of pushing skill points with them like in single player FO (or even TLA servers). Thats not what this suggestion is about. So please don't bring the "SP-through-books -idea" into the discussion here.

The idea in short: 

By reading books you have a small chance to get knowledge of a craftable item.

The idea with background:

The library. A peaceful place of knowledge, a place, where some very rare and special books of wisdom are concentrated. The usual hustler from around the HUB streets wouldn't be able to even read them and most of the other guys within the wasteland (including soldiers, traders, headhunters etc.) have no time/no will and most proprably not even the intelligence to actually bother about reading specialized books.

But there is a small group of scientists. Some work for bigger organisations like the Gunrunners or the BoS. Some offer there services also to anyone who pays. Many things can be crafted if a guy has the appropriate knowledge of the science field and a blueprint, which tells him how to actually put the parts together in a way that it works.

Now here we can jump in to the idea itself. A crafter char could visit the library and loan a book for some hours to read it. Ofc this would cost him some money but thats not what we should be worried about at the moment. He has to stay within the library, he can't just take it "home" to his tent or somewhere. Also, after reading it once he has to give it back of course. (The library has only a few really important books, so they couldnt sell each one multiple times to whoever pops up.) Now , while reading it and if the char fullfills some special requirements (IN >= 9; a skill tagged and leveled to 100% at least of the science field the book refers to; crafting profession level I) he has a certain chance that he actually can learn how to craft an item (just like adding a particular blueprint to a crafter would do).

After reading a book there should be a cooldown of like one (ingame) week or more till he can try to read it again or even make it so, that he only can read it twice. Also some guards are needed ofc and some check if the player drops it on the ground etc.

As for the items: It shouldn't be high tier things of course. For example a crafter char with the needed requirements maybe learns to craft a Laser Rifle after reading Deans Electronics.

Ok, so far for the idea...   

[Sarakin]

I dont like dealing with chances, some guy can learn it from just 1 reading, while other guy used dozen of them and is still unlucky.
Better to set reading thresholds for every blueprint, f.e. 10 read books - laser pistol, 50 read - mfc, 100 read - laser rifle... ofc no. may vary

[Billy Carter]

Sience?

[Tomowolf]

Also add books/random blueprints at hard caravan encounters (bring back caravans!11), and reduce bit amount of books needed to learn sth,, so it may be even better than searchin bp's in lockers  ;-).

[Horatio]

I like this idea a lot.

However, to prevent the very dedicated alts, the knowledge from books should be connected to the field expertise - a high doctor skill and amount of healed persons multiplied by treatments, high enough to make alt healing not worth it.

The amount of treatments or drug intake increases the chance of getting a new recipe, because a skilled person would pay more attention to such things.

Same with a gunsmith - if he gets accustomed with a weapon he uses frequently, he will be eventually be able to reproduce it.

A fighter will use a book instead for increasing his accuracy and reduce weardown of his weapons (by learning to maintain them properly)

Et cetera.

[Billy Carter]

First -  Fallout skill system is about the roll chance. Not about - achieving something. "Achievements" comes from related perks. So, if you are skilled f. e - in repair, it means you just got some good chance to fix something. Doctor - got, so called "good hands"; can perform successful operation (or not). Thief - skilled fingers (or slippery). 
But that's it. Because, for real it's just good or bad roll chance, and your "skills" are merely +modificators. This is how game 'communicates' with you - gamer. Play with you.
So. Redefine.

.. devs