Wacky Library Rules

Maybe it's me, but tonight when I visited my local library I got really hot under the collar. To use the computerized card catalog I had to enter my million digit library card number. This is a new policy at my local library. Used to be one could simply sit down at a terminal and look up books. No logging in, no big deal. Now, if one doesn't have a library card, one must apply for one or sign up for a guest pass in order to look up a damn book. And ID may be required to get a guest pass! Why in the world can we no longer browse anonymously at our local library? I can access the card catalog from home anonymously and only have to input my library card number if I want to check out a book. I think they've carried their computer security much too far. I ranted at the reference librarian about this new, stupid policy and, of course, she had no justification for the new method except that people were accessing the Internet in other ways at the computers designated to be used for card catalogs. So lock out all other access except for the catalog on a couple or three computers. Surely that's not impossible. It really irks me that people can no longer go into our library and look up books themselves without there being some sort of electronic trail. I wonder if our library system is one of those that would readily turn over patron records to whomever asked for them. Knowing this area and the people who work at the library, I tend to think they might. Sigh...I told the reference librarian we might as well have our library number tattooed on our arms. The first thing she thought of was the "mark of the beast" when I intended fascism to come to her mind. (maybe I'd best reread the prayer I posted on Sunday...)