NARRATOR：

Listen to a conversation between a student and a librarian.

MALE STUDENT：

Uh, hi, I need to get into Special Collections. In particular the British Literature.

I was working with some of the William Blake books.

FEMALE LIBRARIAN：

Well, then you must know that access is restricted.

MALE STUDENT：

Um, I was in a seminar with Professor Gray, and she authorized access for us.

FEMALE LIBRARIAN：

Oh, if that's the case… let me check.

Right, yeah, but it looks like that expired at the end of last semester.

MALE STUDENT：

But I really need to get back in there.See, I didn't quite finish my project…

FEMALE LIBRARIAN：

Aha! The plot thickens!

Well, it's easy enough; have Professor Gray authorize you again.

You see, these editions are rare and shouldn't be handled more than necessary.

Can you work from later editions? Or microfilm?

MALE STUDENT：

Not really… Actually my project—well, it involves some annotations in the particular edition here.

They haven't been reproduced because they are really not part of the text.

You know, they generally clean them up. They are quite hard to see.

FEMALE LIBRARIAN：

Well, often the characteristics of the manuscripts have been recorded.

These types of extraneous markings might also be noted.

MALE STUDENT：

I don't think they are.

They are very faint, and well, I think I have a new angle on them.

There was a study once a long time ago about these notes that everybody else has taken for granted without checking for themselves.

I think there might have been a mistake in the past,that they were misread.

FEMALE LIBRARIAN：

So get Professor Gray...

MALE STUDENT：

Uh...she's away this semester. I had to beg her to give me extra time on this project.

I haven't even received a grade in the class yet.

And this class is a prerequisite for other classes in my major.

I really need to see those books so I can finish this project and get back on course to graduate on time.

FEMALE LIBRARIAN：

[getting weary] Everybody has special circumstances…

MALE STUDENT：

[pleading] Two hours?One hour?I promise to be careful. I just need to look at a few pages with a strong magnifying glass.

FEMALE LIBRARIAN：

Well, I can't let you in without authorization from your professor. Can you get in touch with her somehow?

MALE STUDENT：

Maybe she'd be checking her email.

I really thought I would be able to straighten this out without her.

You know, she did me a huge favor by giving me extra time.

I feel like I'm skating on thin ice with her.

FEMALE LIBRARIAN：

You know, you were lucky to have had permission to look at the books last semester.

If we don't maintain our policies, they'll disintegrate.

MALE STUDENT：

I know. [disappointment] Would an e-mail from her or a phone call be good enough?

FEMALE LIBRARIAN：

Of course.