I have just been asked for my date of birth – not to be able to buy alcohol, or an age-regulated DVD, a knife or cigarettes, but so I can borrow a book from the library.

I have belonged to a library for as long as I can remember, and have been using the Hampshire County Library service for over 16 years, but I can’t remember ever having to supply my date of birth before.

However, my library card needed to be re-registered (a routine process) and new rules mean that the ‘system’ needs my date of birth to be able to do this.

According to Hampshire County Council Library Service this is a security measure, because if I lose my card I will be asked for my date of birth as proof of identity.

However, I’m also reliably informed by the Library Service that it’s perfectly permissible to give an incorrect date – presumably thereby shaving years from my age – so long as I can remember it when I lose my card...

Unfortunately I didn’t know this when the question arose and it does seem an intrusion in any case – particularly when required to give the information in the midst of a packed library.

It also seems a particularly insecure security question. With the police requiring a date of birth when reporting an incident, and my bank, insurance company and Internet provider (to name but a few) asking for it every time I phone, there are probably more people who know my date of birth than who don’t.

It also seems a strange policy to have implemented when in this era of anti-age discrimination it is illegal to ask a job applicant their age.

Any thoughts on this in Hedge End?