perrinmiller; Yes and no. I believe you're right about taking 10 outside of combat.
But, since I believe this is basically research, my logic for using a real roll was as follows.
Research has a base time for the action of 1d4 hours.
Taking 10 takes 10 time the basic time required for the action.
We arrived in the late afternoon or early evening, I only have a few hours at best.
So I used the roll to see if I could find out anything in the time we had before the library closed and I had to join the rest of the team at the hotel.
Once at the hotel, I might be able to connect a laptop to the computer at Department of 7.
(Oh, wait, I forgot to pick up a laptop computer from the equipment room at HQ.)
VanorDM; Would it be possible that my statement in post #279, paragraph 3, includes obtaining a laptop computer and instructions on how to connect to the 'library/research computer' at Dept. 7 HQ ????