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The monumental deed prompted a library employee to blast celebratory music and release confetti from the ceiling.
Prompting cheers from staff and looks of awe from fellow library goers, the first ever young person has gone to the National Library of Luxembourg in Kirchberg to actually check out a book.
Library spokesperson Chantal Regaler explained: “Ever since the new national library opened in 2019, plenty of curious, intelligent young people have stepped through our doors, stood in awe of the hundreds of thousands of beautifully arranged books, harbored a longing to dig deeper, know more, travel to unknown worlds –.”
“And then they all find the nearest electrical outlet, plug in their laptops, put on headphones, and go online.”
However, that all changed on Tuesday when a young man began wandering down the rows of books and perusing the shelves.
“Staff sent [no-nonsense veteran library employee] Roland to keep an eye on him, thinking that the young man was lost or up to no good, but to our great surprise, he carefully selected a few books,” Regaler said.
“Naturally, two of them were well-known fantasy novels, but another was a work of dense 19-century German fiction, and the fourth was non-fiction about animal life in Brazil.”
The youth then brought these books to the check-out, not even stopping once to charge his phone or connect to the library’s free Wi-Fi, according to witnesses.
“By then, all the staff were following him as if he were a hero returning from war, and some curious and perplexed guests also joined the impromptu parade,” Regaler said. “Everyone was whispering, gasping, wondering: is he really going to do it?”
When the youth set the books before employee Alain Bicher and presented a library card in his own name, Bicher was barely able to contain his joy.
After scanning the card and the books, Bicher pressed a secret button that blasted celebratory music throughout the library and released confetti from the ceiling.
“We’ve been waiting for this moment for years,” Bicher said. “The boy’s name will be engraved above the library entrance, so that generations will forever know this day.”
It was later alleged by some that the boy had been sent to pick up the books for his grandparents, while others claimed that he was being recorded and only checking out books as a prank for social media likes. Others claimed that the boy has a rationality-themed TikTok account and was merely trying to disprove the conspiracy theory that libraries aren’t real.
However, it was eventually confirmed that the individual had indeed checked out the books in order to read them – as well as the fact that the so-called “youth” is simply a very young-looking 45-year-old man.
