Weekend library scheming

Since when did the NY Public Library drop its number of requested items per patron from 15 to 10? I was just calling up a couple of books online for a project and backed right into my limit. Oh, the indignity.

I have definitely used all 15 slots before, but never have I had all 15 come in at once. Requests stay in the system for up to a year, which is probably the time frame I'm looking at for getting hold of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES -- I'm 156th in line, albeit with 86 circulating copies. C'mere, zombies... wait... not what I meant...

I'm sure there's a good reason for dropping the limit -- too many requests that people don't pick up in a timely manner clog the shelves as well as the system, and make it more difficult for patrons to get the books they want. But this made me curious as to whether the library had a numeric limit of materials it would allow patrons to check out. Turns out, it's 30 items (books/CDs/DVDs nonspecific). At last, an upper boundary I have never even approached.

Naturally, the workaround is for me to take my list of requests, find out the individual libraries which have those particular books on the shelves right now and hunt them up. I would make a joke here about the forthcoming Wormbook internship program here, but... no. Too cruel.