National Libraries: What's their problem?

Last week I headed off to London for the first time in nine years.  The intended purpose was to learn all about the British Library at their postgraduate research student training day.  It did turn out to be a good learning experience, and it just helps to have seen the place.  I hate going to new places and not being sure where exactly to go, or what the rules are.   

It doesn't help that national libraries aren't the most friendly places, which I've learned from trying to get a reader's ticket at the National Library of Scotland down the street.  The first time I went there I followed the front desk girl's directions and walked down the hall and through the open door on the left into a large office labelled "Registration" where I was promptly told that they weren't open yet (It was 2 minutes to 10am).  Not only was I escorted out the door, but I was shown where the barricading rope should have been.  When they did officially open 2 minutes later, I was turned away because I didn't have any proof of address, which of course I didn't seeing as I was a new international grad student...

I guess the reason these libraries are so petty is that they are trying to preserve some priceless, irreplaceably resources for future generations.  They go out of their way to achieve this: no pens or ink, no bags, jackets or laptop cases, and no loans.  The books never leave the library.  We even had our bags searched on our way in!  I think the funniest thing is that they always stress how they're available to everyone.  Everyone who's willing to go through a ton of hoops, anyway.

To be honest its not all that bad.  The reading rooms are beautiful, and they do give you access to stuff you can't find anywhere else!  Back to London, when I was heading into the British Library's conference centre after lunch the man I was walking up the stairs with and I got to talking.  As he worked for the library, he was interested in how I was finding the day and what I study.  It turns out that he had remembered my topic from the long list of 130 students and our subject areas.  That was neat.  But the best part was when he had to run to lead the next workshop, he gave me his business card to contact him and it turns out he's the head of their newspaper collections!  We're talking unparalleled collections.  What an amazing contact to accidentally make.