(ABC News/Liz Kreutz)

Fans of Hillary Clinton waiting in line for her to sign copies of her new memoir "Hard Choices" had some hard choices of their own to make - like whether to endure hours long wait with strict rules and security.

Book buyers were bluntly told they could not expect a personal message from the former secretary of state when she signed their books.

"She will not be personalizing the book or signing memorabilia," according to a one-page, type-written handout given to all comers who showed up at Clinton's first book signing today at Barnes & Noble in New York's Union Square.

The lines were long - more than a block long when the doors opened at 8:30 a.m., so customers were advised to eat and use a restroom before they got inside. Leaving the line to answer nature's call meant having to go to the back of the line and starting over, the guidelines warned.

Once through the front doors, there was a four floor odyssey before reaching Hillary Clinton. The crowd snaked through velvet lines on the first floor and were told they must hand over "ALL PERSONAL ITEMS" on the second floor. The stuff could be reclaimed on the way out.

On the third floor was a security checkpoint.

And, finally on the fourth floor, the guide sheet was emphatic that that there would be "NO posed photography with the author."

There was also no turning back, even if there were second thoughts about owning the 650 page tome.

"Once you are cleared and enter the 4th floor, you are not permitted to exit until your book is signed," the instructions state.

ABC News' Liz Kreutz contributed to this report.