'Fifty Shades' in demand in Scott, Dakota counties

The erotic novels causing a stir across America are nowhere to be found on south-metro library shelves.

That's because copies of "Fifty Shades of Grey" and its sequels go out as fast as they're returned.

The Dakota County Library had 822 requests last week for the story of a dominant-submissive affair between a wealthy entrepreneur and young woman, up from 623 two weeks earlier.

Demand also was strong and growing for sequels "Fifty Shades Darker" and "Fifty Shades Freed."

"That's well beyond standard best-seller category," said Ken Behringer, the library director.

The story is similar at the Scott County Library, which has far fewer copies and fewer requests.

And while "Fifty Shades" is banned from some public libraries in Wisconsin, Maryland, Georgia and Florida, nobody in Dakota and Scott counties has complained, said Behringer and Cindy Purser, Scott County's associate library director.

British author E.L. James originally published "Fifty Shades" in e-reader form, then through a small press. With its growing popularity, Vintage Books issued it in paperback April 3.

The books hold the top three spots on the New York Times bestseller list and are 1-2-3 on Amazon.com. Sales have been in the millions, the Times reported.

Purser said Scott County got its first request around the end of last year or beginning of this year, "when it wasn't really on anybody's radar."

"Then all of the sudden the floodgates opened," she said.

Scott County has 11 copies of "Fifty Shades of Grey" in print and two e-copies. It had 153 requests for the print version and 122 holds on the e-books at the end of last week.

Behringer said Dakota County has 55 copies of "Fifty Shades of Grey" in print, with 48 more on the way. There were another 401 requests for the library's 11 e-copies.

Cost is a factor when it comes to buying more, especially e-books, which run $47.85, five times the cost of a print copy, Behringer said.