I still have my library copy, and here hangs a tale. I returned some books to what used to be the nearest Cambridge County Council library; but, as is common now there is no longer a place to return books to a human being; instead, there is a computerised system that's meant to scan returning books (and loans). Of course, it missed one book on the print out, so I waited in line while the only available member of staff was in prolonged discussion with another customer. After about twenty minutes I began to get a bit irked, not helped by the loud noises coming from the infants area, where nowadays folk leave their offspring to go shopping. Fortunately LP saw me going red and told me to go away and browse the SF, so she eventually explained the problem; so the assistant kindly wiped all my loans, including Singapore Burning, which I still had at home.
This illustrates the problem of taking actual humans out of the loop; and now I know how to get free library books. Of course, I will eventually return the book, and watch their faces as they try to grapple with the fact that I no longer have it out on loan. Which brings me to another book, and I know it ain't strictly naval, but wtf, its 'Dunkirk, fight to the last man' by Hugh Sebag-Montefiore; and its as good as the above book; I'm getting ready to get it on extended loan
And what happened to libraries? For thousands of years they were sacred places of reverent quiet, where people enjoyed silence while they browsed or read; but now, they are 'meja' spaces, where you feel as though your in a sports shop. 