Today I snatched a library book almost from the hands of someone else who wanted it. I've been trying to justify my actions, so that when I read the book, it won't be tainted with guilt. Here's the story of my crime.
I've been wanting to read Tatiana de Rosnay's Sarah's Key for a few months, but it's never been on the shelves. I've been checking and checking in the Fic D section, to no avail. There are other books in that area written by authors with de Something last names, so I figured that was where the book was located. Because I usually go to the library with my impatient-for-the-children's-section sons, I only have a few moments to grab books not in the YA or children's sections. Today, I made sure to check the online catalogue, and realized that my library is not consistent with how they consider de Something last names. It's under Fic Rosnay.
Feeling stupid, I took my son to the library. After we dropped off our books, I heard a woman at the circulation desk saying, "It's called Sarah's Key, and it's not on the shelf even though the catalogue says it's available." I realized immediately what mistake she was making, and hustled over to the R's with my son, plucked the book off the shelf, and quickly walked back to circulation. The patron and librarian were heading to the R's, with the librarian saying something about putting the book on hold if they couldn't find it. As the desk was now empty, I used the self check-out before any holds were created and continued to the children's section.
I felt triumphant then, but now feel a little guilty. This woman wanted the book as much as I did, but I got there about a minute earlier, and had done my searching at home. Chance? Library skills? Ruthlessness?
Has anyone else done anything slightly immoral to acquire a book?
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