I have to admit that I like this idea despite the first little stab of irritation that I felt when I spotted the BBC News item:
The scheme offers advertisers 500,000 inserts in county libraries such as Essex, Dorset, Somerset and also Bromley, in Kent, and Leeds. It aims to cover the UK by the middle of 2008 with around 3m inserts being made available per month....
Inserts, weighing up to nine grammes, are placed in each book as it is hired from the library, with a single insert allocated per person in order to avoid wastage....
Only one insert campaign will be allowed each month.
"Using library books as an advertising medium provides additional revenue for the libraries to invest in books and therefore allows advertisers to contribute directly to local communities."Something like this, done tastefully, and if it actually puts more new books on library shelves is fine with me. Of course not everyone agrees. See the rest of the article for the other side of the argument.
Horrid. No way would I ever accept one of those things.
ReplyDeleteI figure, Sylvia, that if some company wants to buy my library a few new books, I can take the three seconds it takes me to find the nearest trash can to dump the ad. I'd prefer this kind of thing to the smell of coffee and lots of chatter...
ReplyDeleteUgh. I agree with you, Sam, that I'd be willing to just recycle it (at least it's just in one book you check out, instead of all of them) and not complain if it got more books on the shelves. But still...ugh.
ReplyDeleteThis had bypassed me completely and I read BBC News nearly every day. Now thats the reason I make sure I read your blog when I can lol!
ReplyDeleteI had a little shudder of repulsion, but it faded when I thought of the library buying more books.
ReplyDeleteHey Sam,
ReplyDeleteThought it might be interesting for you to know that I've been following your posts regularly for quite some time from tehran, Iran. Keep up the good work
Regards
Ehsan
It's a tough call for me, Eva, but I think I'd hold my nose and just be thankful for the additional books on the shelves.
ReplyDeleteThat's a nice compliment, a.book, and much appreciated. :-)
ReplyDeleteI guess some of us get a little "mercenary" when it comes to our supply of books, don't we, Bybee? :-)
ReplyDeleteHello, Ehsan!
ReplyDeleteIt's great to have you with us here and I appreciate your comment.
I had noticed that someone from Iran was in and out of the blog quite a bit and I'm happy that you check in on a regular basis. Happy reading to you.
Sam
I don't mind the inserts. There is no rule that says I MUST read them, is there?
ReplyDeleteI would be much more likely to use them as bookmarks and thendump them when I have read the book.
Great idea, Historia.
ReplyDeleteI'm very opposed to this. I don't think the ends justifies the means at all. That's the same argument that put Coca-Cola into public schools. And as for throwing out the inserts, what a waste of paper. Not exactly an environmental message is it?
ReplyDeleteI doubt that this kind of thing will cause an increase in the number of ads being printed, John...and I think that library users are more likely to recycle than the average citizen who receives dozens of things in a week is likely to do. I had the same reaction at first, but I just can't see any damage or harm being caused by this. It's a bit of a bother, granted, but I can't help but focus on the books that might hit the shelves as a result of something like this.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with you, Sam. Even though I'd grimace, if it paid for the library to get more books, it would be worth it.
ReplyDeleteIt just seems like a "gimmee" to me, Heather, and I like "gimmees" that involve free books. :-) I can't help myself.
ReplyDelete