I can't find my iPhoto library???

Well it all started when I plugged in my backup drive (western digital 1TB drive) to do a time machine backup and it said the drive had to be erased and reformatted because there was a problem ( i have been using this drive for a year with Time Machine). So i completely erased the drive and plugged it in to do a new backup. it took about four hours to complete. After it was done i plugged in my phone to upload all my pictures to my iPhoto (because I did not want to do it while backing up) and iPhoto told me to pick a library to start using iPhoto and i freaked out because I had over 5000 pictures saved on that library. I tried doing a system search for the file and could't find it. I know i'm 100% sure that the library was not saved on the drive because i could open the library without the drive plugged in. I called apple and they told me to call them back when i have another mac (not sure why) and i have been playing phone tag with them and have not yet talked to them, but they told me i might have to pay for data recovery but why should I have to pay if it isn't my fault that they are gone. Any idea how to find the library, if its possible or did i loose 5000 pics???
Macbook Pro 13 inch mid-2012 750GB hard drive, 8GB ram, core i7

Mmm, strange. If you've been adding photos to iPhoto they have hopefully been saved in the iPhoto library.
Have a look in this location and tell us if this file exists and what size it is (if it's got lots of photos in it it should be large-ish):
Click on the desktop and do Command+N to open a new Finder window. Click on your Home folder (the House) and then, to the right of the window double click on the Pictures folder to open it. Is there a file called 'iPhoto Library' and what size is it. As I say, if it's got some pics in it it will likely be quite a large file and would indicate that your pictures are there.
Re-launch iPhoto holding down the Option key as I mentioned in my first post and click on the 'Other Library' and navigate your way to this 'iPhoto Library' file located in your Pictures folder. Select the 'iPhoto Library' file and hopefully you'll be back in business.
Apologies if I've put it in simple terms, but you said you're new to Mac .

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    LN
    Message was edited by: LarryHN

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