Thanks to Sassymonkey's help, I have conquered my public library's DVD listings in their online catalog. Working in a library myself I shouldn't have had a problem with it, but I am sorry to say I think my public library's catalog is a bit on the clunky side. For the longest time I just didn't bother with searching for them online but would scan the shelves when I stopped in, but I never found anything interesting waiting to be checked out. I would notice other people checking out really good looking movies though--where did they find them? I was told that there was some sort of mysterious binder or booklet with a listing of new DVDs, but I never searched it out. The secret is to request them online as the good ones are always checked out or they must be kept at the other branches. I wasn't able to search by subject headings (like in my library), but there was a choice to search by format--so I went to the DVD option, messed around for a while and finally discovered that when you create the list they come up by the most recent. So I went though the 2006, and 2005 DVDs and had fun requesting everything that sounded interesting. From Memoirs of a Geisha (I am #111) to March of the Penguins (I am somewhere in the 80s)--I am on the list! Luckily I won't be waiting months for everything. As you can see I have already gotten notice of things on the hold shelf for me. I love the BBC, and this weekend I will be watching The House of Eliott (I have the books--as yet unread), and The Student Prince. I also came home with two more books to add to my precariously tall pile; Night Watch by Sarah Waters (I wanted to read Fingersmith first as it is next on my pile, but I may have to read her books in reverse order), and My Latest Grievance by Elinor Lipman (I have read one or two of her earlier works and she can be very funny--so I am looking forward to this one).
And on a happy reading note, I had a Middlemarch binge yesterday and today and I am starting book IV finally. Of course I think the schedule has us finishing book VI for tomorrow, but I am working on getting caught up! I am 300+ pages into an 800 page book--nearly halfway there! It is getting really good, though, so it is no chore to try and get caught up!