Artothek

On the way back from an apartment viewing (in our current neighborhood) I finally checked out the local library:

I mostly was just wandering around, checking on the wifi and looking for places to work. As I was wandering, I stumbled upon this room, which looked suspiciously like there was artwork to check out:

And it turns out that it is artwork to check out. According to the website (translated version), you can check out up to four pieces of art for up to 3 months at a time with a valid library card. I can hardly imagine a similar system in the US - it seems to say something profound both about the importance or art and the trust placed in library patrons.