Clive Thompson: "Games are the perfect philosophical métier, because they're both supremely meaningless and meaningful -- they're "just" entertainment, yet they plunge such deep existential hooks into us that we'll argue over them until the sun explodes." 

If you are a European, read this. It's time to email your MEPs regarding IPRED2 - it's important! 

Security theatre at the library 

The British Library has reinstated it's security theatre at the door. Rubber gloved bag searchers are now in place at the entrance to the Library.

For chrissakes, next we'll hear that there's some kind of threat against libraries where people will use a mixture of hair gel and pixie dust to threaten the security of, erm, beardy professor types, never-ending bookshelves and overpriced cafeteria sandwiches.

Do researchers and students really need to be kept safe from mythological security 'threats' with this charade?

Last time they instated this setup, I put a complaint in and they had disappeared before I next returned.

Update: The following helpful notice is affixed to my desk:

The British Library will be introducing public bag searching at St Pancras - in the Front Entrance Hall - from Monday 19 March 2007.
The decision has not been taken because of an increase in the national or government state of alert, or because of any intelligence that an attack against the Library is being planned. It is a precautionary measure desigend to act as a deterrent against terrorists and to provide reassurance to all the people who work in, or visit, the building. The police and other authorities have been consulted.

That's a relief. They are introducing new security measures despite there being no actual increase in threat, and to 'provide reassurance'. How about the people who aren't reassured by having their bags searched when going in to a place of learning?

In taking this decision, several factors have been taken into consideration, including:

• the nature of the Library as a major research library and cultural venue which means that bags are currently brought into the building without any security checks being carried out
• our proximity to three major transport hubs including the future St Pancras cross-channel terminal
• an awareness that the terrorist threat is considered by the police and security services to be a serious and growing issue

Just a note - the first of these three bullet points is very strange. How is the nature of the library connected in a direct causal way to the lack of bag searching?

The searching will be carried out by our security staff on a selective basis and therefore not every reader or visitor will have their bag searched. However, all readers and visitors are required to co-operate with this measure on request and as a condition of entry to the Library. Readers are advised not to bring in suitcases or other large items of luggage as these will have to be thoroguhly searched.
Public bag searching at St Pancras will remain in place for the foreseeable future, although it will be reviewed on a regular basis. If the national state of security alert is increased, then bag searching may switch from being selective to all inclusive.
We welcome any comments that you may have on bag searching via the form available at the Front Desk or via the email Service Improvement link which can be found on the BL Website at [link]

You know what to do, kids. This is nothing but security theatre. It exists so that security folks can look busy but, like most such procedures, will be of no deterrence to anyone who wanted to, say, blow up a library.

Tags: securitytheatre, britishlibrary, waronliquids, waronterror, indoctrination, security theatre, london, security, bullshit

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