[WEB4LIB] Are Banner ads acceptable on licensed databases

[Karen D. Hyman]

I  know that placing banner ads, visible to library patrons, on licensed
databases has a variety of drawbacks, but I  think we need to try different
and creative approaches to funding services. My first choice is that the
library gets its own advertisers to illustrate certain partnerships and
support for the library in its service area -- and has total control over
size, placement, etc.

I'm not opposed to small (forget banner) ads on databases licensed by
libraries for patron access, as long as:

1. The service is branded with the name of the Library and that branding is
more prominent than any advertising.  We haven't done a swell job at getting
vendors to put our brand name on the stuff we pay for and I think that's a
bigger issue than ads.

2. The library gets to review and approve any ads that go on their service
pages.

3. The benefit to the library is clear, e.g. if the online database vendor
places the ad on your access page, they will credit your bill by an agreed
upon amount. (as opposed to "we're lowering your price"  in some vague and
unspecified way).

This choice should be up to the library. Many libraries DON'T want ads and
just about all of them don't want ads on THEIR service pages that they can't
control. I would tell your vendor that libraries would definitely object to
unexpectedly finding an ad on their public access page and getting a lame
excuse about lower prices when they call to complain.

Karen Hyman
Executive Director
South Jersey Regional Library Cooperative
10 Foster Avenue, Suite F-3
Gibbsboro, NJ 08026
Phone: 856 346-1222  Fax: 856 346-2839
Email: hyman at sjrlc.org
-----Original Message-----
From: GenAnnual at aol.com <GenAnnual at aol.com>
To: Multiple recipients of list <web4lib at webjunction.org>
Date: Thursday, August 10, 2000 10:55 AM
Subject: [WEB4LIB] Are Banner ads acceptable on licensed databases


>Colleagues,
>I need your opinion. An online database vendor has asked me if librarians
>would accept or object to their placing banner ads, visible to library
>patrons, on licensed databases hosted by their company?
>
>What would be your reaction? Not care; accepting; would cancel the
>subscription or?
>I take it that they feel they could charge lower fees if they had the
>additional revenue from the ads.
>
>What's your feeling?
>
>
>