I've read this in several sources now and it really bothers me (see here and here, and a number of litblogs who have picked up on it). It obviously bothers others as well. Advertising is coming not just into public libraries, but indeed into their books. This is beginning in certain libraries in the UK where they will place ad inserts at the first page next to the panel with the review date, thus forcing the borrower to see the ad at least once. Since public funding of libraries seems to be on the decline across North America as well, I would not be surprised to
see library book ads here soon.
I feel a little hypocritical ranting about this as my own litblog has advertising on it, though I have mentioned before how conflicted I feel about it. It is a funding issue here as well. I'm hoping to ultimately restrict advertising here to writing and reading-related content--that would make me feel better. I doesn't sound like library advertising will be restricted that much, though libraries get to approve content. Apparently it will be "fairly respectable, branded offer," according to Mr Jackson, who heads the marketing agency entering/spearheading this new market, and as "fairly generic." Not very comforting.
What really disturbs me about this development is that libraries were/are supposed to be about "free access and impartiality." They were supposed to be a public service, making it possible for anyone, regardless of
socio-economic status, to have free access to literature (used in a very broad sense). This intrusion is simply too much. We already can't walk down the street, take an elevator ride, or even a leak, without being
confronted with advertisements. Now borrowers will have to pay, by looking at advertising, for library books. The question now is, putting the general issue of the intrusion of consumerism into every aspect of our
lives somewhat to the side, whether advertising moneys will end up determining or to some extent influencing material acquisition and offerings.
