Thanks for the correction, Mary in Kentucky. I just talked with the reference desk at my local library- and she said that it's just not true- that public libraries don't have the money (a system would have to pay for that kind of storage), the manpower, or the interest, and besides, the Alaska Privacy Act prohibits that kind of activity.

(Thanks, Rapaire. I admire librarians and revere the system!)

As for comments, I also often get into a discussion of individual books I have read or am in the process of checking out. I often recommend a particular book- or conversely tell them something is badly written. These are literate human beings behind the desk and they take pride in being informed. A library is one of my favorite places.