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Excuse me for being cynical/naive - but do people REALLY
respond to these adverts? I tend to swat them aside like an
annoying bluebottle.
Still I presume the company whose advert it is has paid for
its presence. Perhaps we could advertise cold remedies and
hangover cures and stuff like that on our OPACs, being a
healthcare library.
Marina
> I just hope that the local govenment will not have have the
> excuse to
> reduce the budget allocated
> to public funded libraries, if they find out that the
> libraries are
> being
> very successful in generating funds from adverts on thier
> web sites.
>
> You can imagine the likely scenario!
>
> Godfrey.
>
> "Chris Booty Sen Lib (Info Dev) LS" wrote:
> >
> > Sorry to shatter any illusions but public libraries are
> already doing it -
> > see http://www.essexcc.gov.uk/libraries
> > Just one of a range of commercial activities that support
> our services.
> >
> > Chris Booty
> > Senior Librarian Information Development
> > Telephone 01245 436555
> >
>
> >> Godfrey Oswald wrote:
> > hmm... now thats interesting!!
> >
> > I was thinking only national libraries, needing more
> funding, went
> > commercial with their web sites,
> > now it seems academic libraries have joined in too! (but
> I feel academic
> > libraries are better funded than national libraries, as
> they get extra
> > money from external sources like student fees etc)
> >
> > I wonder if public libraries web sites will join in one
> day?
> >
> > Now that would be REALLY interesting!
> >
> > Godfrey
> >
> > Adrian Smith wrote:
> > >
> > > See also the Waterstone's link
> > > http://www.leeds.ac.uk/library/
> > > and here
> > > http://lib.leeds.ac.uk/
>
> >> Godfrey Oswald wrote:
>
> > > > Hi all.
> > > >
> > > > Just thought I should add to the issue of the Amazon
> advert on the the
> > > > British Library site and come in thier defence.
> > > >
> > > > Since 1995, in the course of updating national
> library web sites around
> > > > the world at
> http://members.fortunecity.com/infoconnect/Page19.htm
> > > >
> > > > I have indeed come across "some form of
> commercialisation" on national
> > > > library web sites even though national libraries are
> known to be
> > > > "traditionally" funded by public money.
> > > >
> > > > But in the modern era of the Internet, some national
> libraries actually
> > > > have to raise extra funds via adverts on their web
> sites, e.g. to
> > > > manage the huge costs of hosting a web site and
> paying staff to maintain
> > > > it, especially if they have thier own server
> outright, and not subscribe
> > > > to an ISP. Governments just do not provide enough
> money from the
> > > > budget.
> > > >
> > > > Take a random look at some national libraries
> websites, on my web site,
> > > > and you will see it is not just national libraries
> from advanced
> > > > countries like the UK, having some form of commercial
> advert on their
> > > > web site, but also 3rd world countries from Latin
> America and Asia too!!
> > > >
> > > > I rest my case!
> > > >
> > > > Godfrey.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Aran Lewis wrote:
> > > > > > > Interesting that on the main page The British
> Library Public
> > > > > > > Catalogue has an amazon.co.uk advert and under
> it the words
> > > > > > > "Buy books NOW from our sponsors". A little
> jarring. Wasn't
> > > > > > > anticipating any level of commercialism here.
> > > >
> > > > Peter Scott
> > > >
> > > > > > > Interesting that on the main page The British
> Library Public
> > > > > > > Catalogue has an amazon.co.uk advert and under
> it the words
> > > > > > > "Buy books NOW from our sponsors". A little
> jarring. Wasn't
> > > > > > > anticipating any level of commercialism here.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > It's becoming very common for libraries to raise
> funds this way.
> > > > > > See:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > http://www.lights.com/how-to/libraries.html
-----------------------------------
Marina Bruce
Deputy Librarian
St. George's Hospital Medical School
University of London
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Opinions expressed those of the author and not the
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