Some may believe erotica belongs in the bedroom, but recently it has hit bookshelves.

The sexual book “Fifty Shades of Grey” has become a phenomenon among some age groups.

The book has been on best-seller lists for 35 weeks, said Kristin Wetzel, a reference librarian at the Wood County Public Library.

The book doing so well took some people by surprise, Wetzel said.

“Erotica generally doesn’t make it to the best-seller list,” she said.

Curiosity played a huge role in the hype surrounding the book, Wetzel said.

The sexual aspects in “Fifty Shades of Grey” have played a role in the book becoming popular.

“It explores things that our culture keeps underwraps,” said Jeff Brown, an associate professor in the Popular Culture department. “What people do in the bedroom isn’t as vanilla as we think.”

Some people like to read the books because it is a safe way to explore eroticism.

“It plays into gender fantasies of women being submissive and men being dominant,” Brown said.

Not all readers choose the book for the sexual aspects, Wetzel said.

“A lot of people skip the sexual aspects to get to the storyline,” she said.

The book has become popular particularly with women.

This book shares the same hype the “Twilight” series by Stephenie Meyer had a few years ago, Brown said.

“’Twilight’ was a neutered sexual fantasy,” he said. “‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ is still a love story, but with more graphic detail.”

Some critics are considering “Fifty Shades of Grey” to be “mommy porn.”

“You get to the age where you become a soccer mom,” Brown said. “Porn is the largest entertainment industry, but it is geared towards men.

Like some popular books, “Fifty Shades of Grey” is being adapted into a movie.

“Hollywood is going to get on the bandwagon,” Brown said. “There are not a lot of erotic thriller movies.”

Some library patrons are now looking for books similar to “Fifty Shades of Grey,” Wetzel said.

“You will probably find books more explicit in any library,” she said. “I guess it depends what the reader looks for.”

Some students feel the hype surrounding “Fifty Shades of Grey” was unnecessary.

“The hype isn’t there anymore,” said freshman Alicia Wolfe. “I think it was over-hyped.”

However, “Fifty Shades of Grey” is commonly requested, Wetzel said.

“It is unusual for a day to go by without someone bringing it up or referencing it,” she said. “And this is just the patrons, not the staff.”