Have you seen the trucks? Are there some interesting new businesses in town? Johnson County Library couriers are making their book deliveries between Library locations in some specially decorated, literary-themed trucks: Captain Ahab’s Fine Seafood, Benjamin Button’s Diaper Service, Kafka’s Pest Control, and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’s Pharmacy with the tag line "Available at Johnson County Library." The messages on the trucks are part of campaign to promote the library, the many stories that can be found there and to encourage reading, even the classics.

The campaign theme and design was developed for the Johnson County Library pro bono by Barkley Advertising Agency, at 1740 Main St. Kansas City, Mo. The truck, in this case the medium, becomes part of the message.

According to County Librarian Donna Lauffer, the vehicle campaign should generate interest. "On first seeing the trucks, people may think oh, what a clever name for a business," she stated. "Then catching the tag line 'Available at Johnson County Library' will definitely get them thinking more about the message and what the library has to offer. We think the campaign will be fun and interesting for the public, especially those who have read the books and are familiar with the characters and authors. Often we promote all the services and resources the library to offer such as online databases, career assistance, and home work help. We tend to overlook why most people come to the library: to find something good to read. We appreciate Barkley donating their time and talents for the campaign and their encouraging the discovery or rediscovery of the wonderful world of literature and the pleasure of reading."

Representatives from Barkley enjoyed working on the campaign. According to Tom Demetriou, Vice President and Creative Director for Barkley, he became interested in partnering with the library last fall after making a presentation about creativity at staff day. "The Library is a personal favorite of mine," Demetriou stated. "They have many people and resources at the library but somehow I think that the library is there just for me...a place where mice ride motorcycles, magic carpets fly, Huck and Jim still ride a raft on the Mississippi. I love the stories. Libraries feel alive and have a huge connection with history. I often wonder how many people have turned the pages of a single book. Who are they, where are they now and what do they do? What did they think about the book and did they like it? We hope our firm’s excitement for the library and reading is contagious within the community through this campaign."

All titles referenced on the library delivery trucks are available in print as well as in downloadable audio format from Johnson County Library:

• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald
• The Metamorphoses by Franz Kafka
• Moby Dick by Herman Melville
• Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson