Local Libraries Can't Keep Steamy Novel On Shelves

If you're looking for a copy of the steamy trilogy, “50 Shades of Grey,” don’t bother going to your local library. 

“Nobody in the county has it on their shelf,” said Sandra Collins, executive director of in McCandless. 

Although public libraries in several states have banned the book–some say it is either too sexually explicit or too poorly written–that’s the not case here. There are currently 189 copies shared among 45 libraries in Allegheny County with 1,344 hold requests.

“I think people are more interested because of the hype, rather than it being good literature," Collins said.

and libraries don't have copies of the book, but South Fayette, , Green Tree, Mt. Lebanon, and Bethel Park do have it. Unforunately, every single copy is either being held, checked out or in transit to another library.

Rebecca Long, who is South Fayette's library director, said the long wait for the book compares to the interest levels of Hunger Games and the Harry Potter saga. She added that the book is attracting readers of all ages.

“There’s a lot of talk about it,” Long said. “There’s a huge list in the county.”

The novel, by British author E. L. James, tells the story of a love affair between naive college student Anastasia and Christian, a billionaire with a taste for sexual dominance. 

“There have been titles in the past that have caused just as much attention either by the media or through word of mouth. This one is the current one, because it’s perhaps a little more risqué,” said Collins. “It’s not an unusual phenomenon, Harry Potter books did the same thing.”

Collins admitted the decision to add such books to the collection can be difficult, but the hype surrounding “Fifty Shades of Grey” ended any debate. 

“It’s one of those books that is marginal for making it into the collection.  One of our responsibilities as a public library is to have material in the collection that’s a cultural reference, that’s being talked about.  If there had not been a lot of attention given to the book, it may not have made the collection,” Collins said.

Click here to check the number of copies and status of books at all the Allegheny County libraries.

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