I am reading with interest all of the conversation around the issue of the "Share the Stories" funding that Coca-Cola is providing to libraries. I responded to Catherine the first time, but did not post to the list, so am putting my two cents in again.
The Halifax Regional Library has received two lots of funding under the "Share the Stories" program - one to support storytime programming and one for youth French materials to support a French reading club at one of our branches.  Last year we hosted the regional launch of the "Share the Stories" program.
I would like to correct some of the statements that are being made about "slapping Coke stickers in books" etc. The Coke logo does not appear on any of the materials that come with the "Share the Stories" program. If you go on the ABC Canada Web site, you can see the "Share the Stories" logo, which is very attractive and does not mention Coke anywhere. The Coke people I worked with  made it very clear that they do not put their logo on anything that they promote to young children.
The books that they donated for our storytimes were all very good quality picture books and even the refreshments they donated were fruit juice paks, not Pop!
Certainly their corporate prescence was a very "behind the scenes" one.
I agree that we need to be careful about which corporate sponsors we work with, but the right ones can make a lot of good things happen for kids in libraries.  The Imperial Oil Charitable Foundation has given our library $10,000 per year for the past three years to support our summer reading program and we have been able to really enhance our program as a result. They are also a very "hands off" sponsor, and we have had no problems with putting their logo along with ours on the program materials - that's all they ask.
Naturally we would not seek out sponsorship from tobacco/alcohol companies, but lets not trash the companies that are really doing a lot to support literacy and who are NOT using this as an opportunity to obviously promote themselves.

On Mon, 4 Nov 2002 Fraser Janet  wrote:
> Dear Catherine and all,
>
> Catherine, just a short note to say that your reading into my letter an acceptance
of corruption, mindless collection development, and the status quo is inappropriate.
If you knew my longstanding record of social activism and my career as a poet and
literary reviewer, I think you would feel silly responding to my letter in this
manner. Sure, corporations who provide sponsorship need to be kept in line. But
Darlene's example of the wonderful festival sponsored by a major cigarette company
is a good example-- we need to advocate much better for our public libraries but
we don't want to kill good things with our political correctness, either. In St.
John's I have been involved in lobbying government for funding for public libraries,
and an extra infusion of one million dollars for books that government provided
resulted in an abundance of the highest quality Newfoundland, Canadian, and international
poetry books, short story collections, novels, and plays flooding Newfoundland!

> !
> libraries. Again, I do have to apologize and say that I don't work in the public
library system and I do have to plead ignorance about some of the challenges you
and other public librarians are facing. But in my twenty-two years of librarianship
I have seen too many librarians with a territorial approach to "their" libraries
and collections, too many librarians with a rigid, perfectionist attitude to their
well-rounded and unused collections, too many librarians with a snobby "I know what's
right for you" attitude to their patrons. I think that high circulation rates can
be a good thing in themselves-- after all public libraries serve the public. Successfully
serving the public does not necessarily have to be a sell-out to the corporate agenda.

>
> Janet Fraser
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [log in to unmask] [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Saturday, November 02, 2002 1:11 PM
> To: Fraser, Janet
> Cc: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Funding opportunity
>
>
> I'm back and am enjoying reading the response to my question about the ABC Literacy
Funds although Janet's referring to my "snobbish" attitude of "green tea" really
threw me. I hadn't said anything about green tea so I went back to the original
message. My apologies to the group. I thought I had edited out all the personal
parts from the message that had been sent to me. Sorry for the confusion.
>
> I must admit I'm saddened but not surprised by our attitude of "we need money where-ever
we can find it". I wonder about the selling out of the public library, and here
I will get a bit personal. The public library I work at *does* have advertising
(although they don't call it that) in our building. It's called "sponsorship", but
funds donated for the "Tim Horton Parent Lounge", the "Schickendanz Fireside Lounge",
and the "Stouffville Vet" shelves, really amount to advertising. Nobody asked any
questions about how long these signs should remain promoting those businesses. Billboards
have their time limit.
>
> There is a fine line between acknowledging an individual person, whose only benefit
is the continuation of all those warm and fuzzys that Janet Fraser mentions. There
was an interesting Adbusters issue a year or so ago which discussed the issue of
how corporations have gained the rights of individuals. Quite some scary reading.

>
> But my real concern is that we don't question; we excuse our behaviour or justify
it because it's a bad situation. I can hear my mother whenever I tried to get my
way by saying "So-and-so does it". Her reply was always something to the effect
of "Yeah, well that doesn't mean they're right".
>
> How about an example? Do those in the Atlantic Provinces select from the ALA list
of roles for their own libraries? It's agreed that we cannot be all things to all
people so we must choose our roles carefully, only two or three at most. So years
ago we discussed at our library what our roles should be and it was determined that
we need only two- Children's Doorway to Learning, and Popular Materials. I, and
another librarian spoke pretty strongly on the necessity of a third role, something
to include research or personal development. That was dismissed as not being necessary
because that's not what this community wants.
>
> Public Librarians need to keep focused on a bigger picture. We are not a business
responding to the popular demands in the hopes for the big profit of high circulation.
This is important but we should also not avoid our responsibility to our citizens
to provide what they may need someday, but just don't know it yet. How the adoption
of only these two roles have affected our collection and as a result, the service
we give to the taxpaying citizen, is that the core collection never gets caught
up. I am expected to buy enough multiple copies of bestsellers, such as Grisham,
Roberts, etc. so that no patron (oh wait, we're supposed to call them customers,
now), has to wait more than a regular three week loan period. I'm sure you can imagine
the dollars that eats up. Meanwhile, our medical section is an embarressment and
our local high school students visit a library in a nearby municipality.
> Way to grab those teens!
>
> So the underlying questions I'm struggling with are even more personal than expressing
my preference for vanilla hazelnut coffee. I'm wondering how much I need to comprise
my own principles to continue working as a public librarian? Can I live with the
consequences? Can society?
>
> Probably too much food for thought but I really enjoyed all the feedback. It does
help me.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Catherine
>
>
>
> Fraser, Janet wrote:
>
> > Hi All,
> >
> > > Although I do not work in the public library, I would like to support Darlene's
> > position. Throughout my childhood and adulthood, I have spent countless stimulating,
> > vibrant, soothing, and comfortable hours in the beautiful 'Carnegie' public libraries
> > one can find throughout North America. Can you imagine if people in the midst of
> > the Depression worried about the Carnegie "blood money" being spent on dozens and
> > dozens of gorgeous libraries constructed in some of the poorest areas of our big
> > cities? People who care about the survival of public libraries do not have the luxury
> > of rejecting corporate sponsorship. While I agree with Catherine that cola stickers
> > in each book is a bit much, I do not like Catherine's snobbishness about cider and
> > green tea (personally I would like to see milk and cookies served to inner city
> > children in the public libraries-- much better for them than green tea!).
> >
> > Sincerely,
> > Janet Fraser
> > College Librarian
> > College of the North Atlantic
> > St. John's, Newfoundland
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Darlene Nickerson [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> > Sent: Monday, October 28, 2002 9:35 AM
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: Re: Funding opportunity
> >
> > Catherine:
> >
> > I work for a Family Literacy Committee and it is hard to get money. The
> > Learning Exchange her in NB applied for money through them and didn't get
> > any. As for the obesity problem, sure it is out there, but do I think my 10
> > > year is going to become obese because he is reading a book sponsored by coca
> > > cola, I find it hard to believe and if I have a choice between him reading a
> > > book and seeing a symbol once when he opens it or watching TV and seeing it
> > > 3 times in 15 minutes. I would choose the book hands down. Also, many public
> > libraries are having their summer programs sponsored by Mc Donalds so it is
> > everywhere. If you library is fortunate enough to not have to seek donation
> > > from large "food/drink" corporations great, but many do not have that luxury
> > > and I think patrons would rather have new books than to say no to coca-cola.
> > I use to manage a professional theatre company and we had duMaurier as a
> > > sponsor. I don't smoke, hate it, but $15,000 for a production was great when
> > there the competition for the $ is so great. These were adult production
> > employing adults and for adults. It worked well. I can think of companies
> > that break environmental laws, drug companies, most companies have down
> > falls, but we have to keep an open mind.
> >
> > Darlene
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: APLA-List List [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Catherine
> > Sword
> > Sent: Thursday, October 24, 2002 4:06 PM
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: Funding opportunity
> >
> > Hi All,
> >
> > > My jobber here in Ontario recently sent me this information about the ABC
> > > Literacy Foundation.  Personally the concept of commerical promotion
> > through
> > > > the public library offends me. It's blatant advertising and in this case,
> > for
> > > an unhealthy product.  Hasn't everyone heard about the obesity problem
> > with
> > > North Americans.
> >
> > > What do others feel?
> >
> > Catherine
> >
> > > > Are you two aware of the Coca-Cola money that the ABC Literacy
> > Foundation
> > > > is distributing? Here's a link:
> > > >
> > > > http://www.abc-canada.org/public_awareness/sts.asp
> > > >
> > > > I just spoke to a very small library (they serve a population of approx
> > > > 1400) that just received a grant of $1500 through this program to
> > purchase
> > > > children's books with and was told that the application process was an
> > > easy
> > > > one, with approval and a cheque coming in a month's time. The catch is
> > > > having to slap a Coke sticker inside each book.
> > > >
> > > > Could one of you let me know if you'd been aware of this program? I'm
> > > > trying to get a feel for how many libraries know about it.
> > > >
> > > > Myself, I drink cider and green tea. Just for the taste of it!
> > > >
> > > > cheers,
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >


Heather MacKenzie
Youth Services Manager
Alderney Gate Public Library

902-490-5875         E-Mail: [log in to unmask]
"Libraries will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no
  libraries."