By "apocalypse" here, I mean, of course, the advent of online shopping and the effect it's been having on brick-and-mortar stores. It
is an apocalypse of sorts: great establishments full of personality and community have been shuttered down to the monolithic rise of virtual behemoths lacking in character. It's not just limited to the bookselling industry, either, as with the recent shifting around or closings/consolidations of Office Max, Staples, Borders, Linens-N-Things, and more. Remember those? The mall nearest my home in New Jersey has these giant spaces where Borders and Linens-N-Things once were, and it's been years and still nothing has replaced those gaping holes, because brick-and-mortar stores are a bleeding market that few are willing to put their money in anymore.
It's hard with our limited "individual human" perspective to see where any there's any bright spot here for anyone besides the corporate behemoths. As the Big Six in the publishing industry undergoes some really nerve-wracking restructuring and mergers, and there has even been talk of B&N closing some stores, it's hard to stay optimistic. Can there actually be a light at the end of the tunnel?
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| www.bookstorepeople.com |
I say yes. Giant corporations and online shopping can provide a plethora of conveniences--selection, shipping, recommendations and products related to what you're interested in--but it truly cannot replace the joy of face-to-face conversation, of walking into a small, independent bookstore and finding other like-minded individuals there with you. Humans are naturally social creatures, and we can deal with decreasing communities for a generation or too, but sooner or later the lack of community support, along with a continually blustering global economy, will cause entire races to realize the value of community, and go back to those local, "homemade" roots.
I'm no historian or economist, but I see signs that this is the way our society will go in the way that the
currently rare community collective is portrayed wistfully and enviously. It may not happen in our lifetime, and it will be drawn-out and ugly: the corporate behemoths will have to devour themselves or be devoured by their own greed before this revolution will occur. A lot of people--good, honest, hard-working people--will suffer until we get to that point, where corporate greed finally turns around and the spirit of the community finally triumphs.
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| www.litreactor.com |
As bookstores and libraries scramble to find a new role for themselves in the twenty-first century, what will make them last is the
continued emphasis on community, and optimism in the belief that humanity's desire to create small and beloved communities for themselves will eventually triumph, once the flashiness of corporate-owned but faceless services passes.
I have faith that
when the Corporate Age ends, a new age will begin, and it will be the Community Age.
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| www.boston.com |
I'm glad that many indie bookstores have been doing better lately, but I think as a reader and someone who values the publishing industry, I think it is equally important that Barnes & Noble survive. B&N is the only bookstore in my community. The nearest indie bookstore is two hours away. And regardless of my own community, I hate to think of all the people who will lose their jobs if B&N (or any other big corporate store, book related or not) goes under. I agree with you - part of me is cheering that the demise of big corporate stores is better for indie bookstores, but the bigger part of me thinks that it's important for all physical bookstores to be retained.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. I'd be devastated if B&N had to close: they're also the only bookstore that my hometown has. My thinking, however, is that if B&N wants to remain relevant, they can't just keep on following the footsteps of Amazon, which is doing everything first, and doing everything better. It's not enough to play catch-up with Amazon. I think that if B&N also recognized the importance of it being a source of community within their community, they'd maintain their relevance far more. Sometimes B&Ns frustrate me because the environment's very sterile and the workers sound like they'd rather be doing anything else than help you. If B&N also emphasized its communal importance by promoting more gatherings of local book lovers and having more focus on the human, I think that would be a better company strategy than simply trying to beat Amazon at its thing.
DeleteYeah for indie bookstores! I'm feeling hopeful too. After Borders shut, an old friend of mine decided to open a brand new indie bookstore outside of Philadelphia, coming later this year. She's asked me and a children's librarian to recommend literary YA books that would cross over well to an adult audience. I also recommend books to my local bookstore which has survived for more than 30 years. The personalized care indie bookstore owners put into their selections makes their stores more valuable than big chains and online retailers. Still, it is a worrying economic sign to see B&N foundering. It's important that we book lovers keep buying books from bookstores. Wonderful post!
ReplyDeleteAhh, literary YA that would cross over to an adult audience! What's the name of your friend's bookstore? I have a lot of friends in that area, and I could probably organize a bunch of them to visit upon its opening.
DeleteMain Point Books in Bryn Mawr. Cathy only just signed the lease so no definite opening date yet. I'll let you know. Thanks for the help!
Delete"I have faith that when the Corporate Age ends, a new age will begin, and it will be the Community Age."
ReplyDeleteI agree with your entire post, really, but this line is just absolutely perfection. Sure it looks dire now, but I believe that this future - a future of community - is totally possible.
I have to agree, people do enjoy actually leaving the house and browsing stores and feeling items in their hands before buying them, so I think, and hope, that book stores will continue to stick around :)
ReplyDeleteI agree! I grew up pretty much in bookstores (and libraries for that matter) and it's a little scary that bookstores (where indie or chain) are going under. Humans are social people and I agree that we will have an age of community.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I really liked this line: "As bookstores and libraries scramble to find a new role for themselves in the twenty-first century, what will make them last is the continued emphasis on community, and optimism in the belief that humanity's desire to create small and beloved communities for themselves will eventually triumph, once the flashiness of corporate-owned but faceless services passes."
Awesome post. I am super lucky to have a very well established indie bookstore in my city, and they do exactly the community events you are talking about. There is a B&N near by, but they never host any sort of author events or book clubs, so I have no reason to walk in! Schuler (the indie) on the other hand hosts awesome author events (with pizza!) for free, because they know that that will win them new customers. They also have lots of comfy couches and a really easy system for book clubs to organize around! They will definitely survive, even if I have to support them all on my own, haha
ReplyDeleteAnya @ On Starships and Dragonwings
You are lucky to have such a community-oriented indie store near you! B&N seems to perform the bare-bones of book shopping as far as I'm concerned, but I never feel much warmth from the staff or environment when I'm there. I would love for it to be more a place where local bookworms can hang out and discuss books, but it doesn't have that, sadly.
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