Poll: Should Libraries Loan "Fifty Shades of Grey?"

Some call it mommy porn, some call it bad writing. A lot of people call it a very big commercial success.

E.L. James’s Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy is undeniably a mega-bestseller. More than 10 million copies of the books have been sold so far. But not everyone believes public libraries should provide this particular offering of literary titillation.  

The New York Times wrote that the steaminess and popularity of Fifty Shades of Grey has prompted libraries around the country to take a look at their rules on erotica, and some librarians have banned the trilogy as crossing the line into pornographic. The Contra Costa County Library system maintains an abundant supply of Fifty Shades. In a recent count, the system had 30 copies in circulation, with every one checked out. The waiting list was 723 patrons long.

Have you read “Fifty Shades of Grey”? What do you think – worth the hype? Is it suitable for public library shelves in El Cerrito and Kensington? Please tell us in our poll. And we welcome your comments as well.