Even the Library is a Nightmare....

A few days ago I decided to be studious and take a browse through the library. I expected it to be a little bit of a breeze. After all, one must just look around and see what exists, right? Sure. I had to lock my stuff up in a locker. They don't even allow laptops in the stacks. I guess that the library isn't really prime study ground here.

They use something very similar to the Library of Congress Catalog System (which I might add is an American invention.) I'm not too familiar with this system, so it's not like I could go right to an area that intrigues me. Nonetheless, I found the CDs and DVDs. They are just set out for display, which is cool on one hand because I can browse and compare artists, conductors, ensembles, etc before making my selection and I don't have to bother the people at the desk. It's not cool on the other because it means that their selection isn't really that diversified. Really, about a 10 foot long shelf with 5 or 6 shelves. That is their complete CD collection. All of their DVDs fit onto a slightly larger one. Let's hope I don't get inspired while I'm here.

I found 2 DVDs (what else can I do, the city closes at 7pm). Of their selection, most of them were American films in English. They may be poorly dubbed into German, but I didn't make that selection. I want the words uttering out of the actors' mouths to be what I would expect from their lip motions. I expected a better array of German films. I think that the UT library has a better selection of German films than this German library does.

Going to the check-out station, I realized that some human interaction was about to take place. I got very nervous - what if the librarian asks me a question that I don't understand? What if my student ID doesn't work yet?

Turns out, I did need some human interaction. One would assume that because I use my student ID to check stuff out at the library, once I become a matriculated student, my info would automatically be uploaded into the library server. Once again, assuming just made an ass out of me. Librarian started spewing things at me I didn't understand. After a brief moment of null stupidity across my face, he asked me a simple question: "you've never checked anything out before?" Of course I hadn't. Apparently I needed to fill out an application for Library services. My gigantic application for admission to the university wasn't enough. Once again - passport needed. Why? I don't know. Apparently my passport number, my nationality status, my city of birth, my biometric description, and my religion was once again considered vital information for Library Statistics. (I can see it now: 1% of library users are American. 41% of our users are protestant and are more likely to check out information that people in 1500 would find blasphemous.) Whatever. It's not like I had something better to do with my day.

So now one more agency in the Bundesrepublik Deutschland has all of my personal information. At least I got a few movies for 3 days out of the deal.