Kafka's Pest Kontrol

THIS! is the truck I saw on the way to work today.

I could hardly believe my eyes. Then I saw the words "Available at the Johnson County Library," and saw the library logo emblazoned on the cab. I did a double-take, a triple-take, and laughed at the delightful weirdness of it. "That is far out!!" I proclaimed to the mini sock monkey swinging from my rear view mirror. Were they really making a reference to the Franz Kafka story "Metamorphosis," in which the main character, Gregor Samsa, awakens to find that he's turned into a gigantic insect? Is this some kind of ad campaign?

Indeed it is. Some quick Googling confirmed that the Library has four literary-themed book delivery trucks tooling about town to promote the library. Captain Ahab's Fine Seafood. Benjamin Button's Diaper Service. Dr. Jekyll's Pharmacy. See them all here.

The ad campaign was designed by the Barkley Advertising Agency, a local company which offered its services--for free--to the library. The Vice-president of Barkley, Tom Demetriou,

said that employees at Barkley enjoyed working on the campaign. Demetriou got the idea of helping to promote the library after making a presentation about creativity at staff day.

Demetriou said, "The Library is a personal favorite of mine. 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."