Ads on State Library Association web pages

[Dan Lester]

Among other things, I'm webmaster for the Idaho Library Association,
www.idaholibraries.org, a site that needs a ton of work.  We're
looking at a total redesign, and will shoot for something better than
what we have now, but less fancy and more usable than www.ila.org (bad
color contrasts, fixed font sizes, too many fonts on a page, etc.).

One of the things that is being considered by the Board is whether or
not we should have ads on webpages.

Here are some of the options:
1. Affiliate banners, as on Kentucky LA.  (presumably no charge to the
companies, but possible income for the association)
2. Paid ads (banner or otherwise).
3. Ads on webpages as a part of exhibitor participation at conference.
4. Ads as an extra that exhibitors could pay for (perhaps a combo
price, cheaper than an ad plus exhibiting)
5. Others?

I've created a work in progress at http://lester.boisestate.edu/statelibassns.htm
It is a copy of the ALA webpage of state associations.  I've annotated
it regarding ads, plus other notes about what I did or didn't find. A
number of state associations haven't updated their URLs with ALA.  I
noted that in one state that put the newsletter up in PDF that the ads
from the print version were deleted from the page before publishing to
the web.  Why?   I also noted that there are tons of pdf pages on
state association websites, something I find strange and dysfunctional
in general.

Any thoughts on ads on state library associations would be appreciated
on or off list.  Would you be offended? Should it be done?  Would the
money taken in be worth the trouble?  How much should an ad cost the
advertiser?  (we're assuming a rate based on monthly or annual charge,
not clickthrus or anything else more complicated).

Anyway, enough rambling.  Feedback, please.  And check back on the
link for updates as I finish this project.

cheers

dan



-- 
Dan Lester, Data Wrangler  dan at RiverOfData.com
3577 East Pecan, Boise, Idaho  83716-7115 USA
www.riverofdata.com  www.postcard.org  www.gailndan.com