Are You Ready?

We checked out our local library today, which is about a ten minute drive away in an area called Al Bahiya, and about as local as we're gonna get.  It had a pretty good selection of English books for children, and a lovely area for kids to sit and read or play in.  We found a whole shelf of books that I remember from my pre-teen years including about a hundred Famous Five's, Secret Seven's, Babysitters Club and Ramona the Pest, which I'm thrilled Toots now gets to read too.  They even had those British Ladybird Classics that probably went out of print twenty years ago (which you'll still see quite a few of on our home bookshelves here).  We were even offered coffee and water while we perused.  I know, drinks in a library?!?!

The kids were so excited, Toots especially since she is a true Kelling and devours books, and it was agonising narrowing down the choices to only three each.  Until it was time to check out, when we realised that to register at the library you have to hand over your UAE Residency Visa (no problem, they're always in my wallet), a copy of your passport (eh, not handy but at least they're at home), one photograph, and 400 dirhams.  For each card.  And for just two books at a time.  Which means I really do have to get a card for each of us to make the library trips worth our while.

So we sat back down again, read through the books that were now staying firmly in the library, and took the guy up on his offer of water.  Until the AC just got too cold and we headed back outside to thaw out (read: boil again within two minutes).  But man, what a disappointment.  I will make the effort and get cards for all of us, but of course by the time I get back with all the garb I need, wait a week for the registration to be processed, then go back in to pick up the cards, the school holidays will practically be over and the kids can use their school library again...

I'm surprised that I'm surprised that this is required for a simple library card here.