Security

I was in the St, Paul Central Library last Monday. They have new machines at their self checkout, which I don't like. They seem to make the process more complicated and awkward. As I was checking my one book out, a librarian came over to make sure that I had run the book over the desensitising plate. It's now a separate step, which people apparently miss.

I asked her why they had gotten the new machines.

She said, "They are new and improved." Then she told me there were be someone outside the electronic, book-thief-detecting gate to stamp my receipt, which I should be sure to take.

"Why?" I asked.

"Security," she replied.

I went out through the gate, which did not go off. There was no one outside to stamp my receipt. I went home.

I still don't know the point of the stamp. The receipt is simply a reminder. It isn't returned with the book. Who is ever going to look at it to check for the stamp?

Does this have something to do with Homeland Security? Is the FBI checking my YA reading?