Bookstores: Anecdotal evidence

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I read an article today from the Baltimore Sun about How Baltimore's Independent Bookstores Are Thriving In The Age of Amazon'

It's an interesting article. It talks about how independent (non-chain) bookstores are evolving to attract and retain customers—and it's working.

For the last decade, pundits have decried the imminent death of the publishing industry and in particular, of brick-and-mortar book bins, which peaked in the 1990s at about 3,000 stores, according to the American Booksellers Association. The stratospheric rise of Amazon supposedly had placed the indies on life support, just as eBooks were thought to be killing off physical volumes. The statistics were grim — from 1995 to 2009, the number of independent bookstores in the nation fell by a staggering 43 percent. Later, the highly visible shuttering of behemoth Borders Books in 2011 lent credence to the gloomy prognosis.

But not only did the independents refuse to die, they rebounded and even experienced a growth spurt. In 2018, the ABA has 1,835 members operating 2,470 locations — a 31 percent increase in companies and a 49.6 percent increase in the number of physical stores in just nine years.

I'm curious about your book-buying and reading experience.



What are the local bookstores like? Independents, chains, used book stores, Friends of the Library bookstores, Comic stores, specialty stores (for instance, Christian or Jewish or non-English or Technical book stores)?



Do you buy printed books?



Where do you buy them? (Describe the kind of book store; Amazon, another online retailer, used online retailer, chain, local independent . . . .)



How many printed books did you buy last year, roughly?




How many digital books did you buy last year, roughly?




How does that compare to this year?




Why did you buy the last printed book you bought? (A friend, a review, an advertisement, a favorite author, you've been looking for it . . . .)




Do you use a local library? What do you use/borrow (Internet at the library, login to the library site, borrow ebooks/digital media, borrow printed books . . . )




Any general comments about your local book scene?



I'd be interested in any anecdotal comments, general observations, etc. I'm going to post this, then click Reply and answer myself.
 

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What are the local bookstores like? Independents, chains, used book stores, Friends of the Library bookstores, Comic stores, specialty stores (for instance, Christian or Jewish or non-English or Technical book stores)?

There's a small local independent store, but it's limited in what it stocks; books about the local area, some best sellers, but mostly, it's lit fic and non fic; not much genre fiction. It generally does stock books I buy, though I do check it regularly. There's a local Friends of the Library used bookstore.

Do you buy printed books?

I do. Books I need to be able to cite in terms of specific pages, I buy in print. Books I want to keep because they're in my field, or by a favorite author, I will buy in print, typically, hardcover.


Where do you buy them? (Describe the kind of book store; Amazon, another online retailer, used online retailer, chain, local independent . . . .)


Mostly use bookstores, sometimes Amazon. I try to find them locally, but often, used is much less expensive, even by mail order. I check ThriftBooks.com routinely.


How many printed books did you buy last year, roughly?


Three for myself; one used. One used as a gift.

How many digital books did you buy last year, roughly?

About 30. Mostly via BookBug or GoodReads deals. I'm deliberately replacing print fiction and some non-fiction with ebooks, for space and readability issues.

How does that compare to this year?


This year I'm at about 20 ebooks, and 3 printed books.

Why did you buy the last printed book you bought? (A friend, a review, an advertisement, a favorite author, you've been looking for it . . . .)

I bought three as a birthday present (I was given an Amazon gift card); I'd been wanting all three for some time. One was a 2017 book about medieval manuscripts (I bought a used copy), and the other were two new Norton Critical editions of the Bible, vols. I and II.


Do you use a local library? What do you use/borrow (Internet at the library, login to the library site, borrow ebooks/digital media, borrow printed books . . . )


I use three libraries at home. I'm not there currently, but I used their digital media loan services extensively. At home, I borrow printed books regularly, and write at the library.


Any general comments about your local book scene?

It's a little frustrating; at home the Seattle bookstore landscape is still rich, but locally it's pretty bleak.

Personally, I'm deliberately trying to down-size books. In part because of space, and in part, because my vision isn't getting any better.
 

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What are the local bookstores like? Independents, chains, used book stores, Friends of the Library bookstores, Comic stores, specialty stores (for instance, Christian or Jewish or non-English or Technical book stores)?

I live in the Metro DC area, and we have plenty of chain bookstores and a fair number of well-established independent stores touching on all the niches you've mentioned above (with the exception of used book stores - for some reason we don't have many). In my tiny corner of that larger world, we have a single indie store which combines a wine bar and a limited selection of books and gifts. They have a very active reading/signing/special events schedule.

Do you buy printed books?

Yes. I buy about 40% print and about 60% digital.

Where do you buy them? (Describe the kind of book store; Amazon, another online retailer, used online retailer, chain, local independent . . . .)

I buy the bulk of my books from Amazon. Occasionally I'll buy from the aforementioned local bookstore, or library sales. I also borrow (and donate) books from four different Little Free Libraries located within a few miles of my home.

How many printed books did you buy last year, roughly?

Approximately ten.

How many digital books did you buy last year, roughly?

Approximately twenty-five.

How does that compare to this year?

I've bought fewer books this year, but I'm not reading as much. I have less time on my hands than I did last year.

Why did you buy the last printed book you bought? (A friend, a review, an advertisement, a favorite author, you've been looking for it . . . .)

I bought two copies of my own latest release to gift to family members.

Do you use a local library? What do you use/borrow (Internet at the library, login to the library site, borrow ebooks/digital media, borrow printed books . . . )

Although I'm no longer in NYC, I still occasionally borrow books from their online catalog. I haven't visited my own local library in more than two years, although I'm booked to appear there for Indie Author Day in October.

Any general comments about your local book scene?

It's very lively. Lots of sales venues, book clubs, readings, etc. George Mason University's annual free festival, Fall For the Book, is coming up later this month and I'll probably attend some of their events.

One anecdotal comment: I am published by a small independent press with little-to-no brick-and-mortar presence. I approached my town's new bookstore (referenced above - the one with the wine bar) via email and in person about stocking my books. I'm sorry to say that they straight-armed me initially, and I had to (a) convince them I wasn't a self-publisher, and (b) get more pushy than I would have liked to get them to stock the books and schedule a reading/signing for my third book when it released. Even then, I felt as if they viewed me as an interloper. They kept asking me to estimate how many attendees I'd have for the event (I couldn't even guess). When I arrived at the event, I found they'd only ordered a half-dozen copies of the new book and no additional copies of the two prior books. As it turned out, the event had solid attendance and the store sold every book of mine in stock, as well as additional copies of the new release I'd brought with me.

The experience left a bad taste in my mouth, and I haven't approached them (or any other brick-and-mortar store) about carrying the just-released fourth book. I did better having my books available for sale at the theatre where I did a show this summer, and will continue to explore lobby sales options at other theatres where I'm booked.
 
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WeaselFire

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We have one local book store and it's a Christian book store. I don't buy anything there. We have a decent used book store, and I pick up quite a few things there. I also will buy at the local Friends of the Library book sales, Goodwill and garage sales. I rarely buy anything in a chain store, Amazon is always cheaper. I really only buy physical reference books on Amazon that I intend to keep and use, rarely anything else in physical form. I use Kindle Lending Library for a number of books. Library is used for some new releases, mostly for books on tape.

I buy a dozen or so new physical books a year, maybe the same in ebooks. I buy several dozen used books a year.

We have an active group here who swap books and I get a lot of fiction through that.

Jeff
 

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What are the local bookstores like? Independents, chains, used book stores, Friends of the Library bookstores, Comic stores, specialty stores (for instance, Christian or Jewish or non-English or Technical book stores)?

We have a decent amount -- there's an ... independent chain? I think they just opened their third store, all local, and they're awesome. They lean toward non-fic and stuff that can be shelved as general fiction, but have most stuff, big kid section, have author events regularly, and do stuff like blind date books (a table of books wrapped in brown paper with labels saying: If you enjoyed <four books here>, you might enjoy me!") and book-of-the-month clubs, where you choose a category and/or genre you're interested in and they curate books for it and send you a surprise book every month. Other indies, famed like The Strand, and both kid-centric and general, around town. My fave indie, which was pushed out by B&N, is coming back, in a different location like 10 blocks away, everyone is super excited.

There's a longstanding used, which leans toward esoteric but also stocks genre stuff, not so much recent though. Comic stores downtown, at least two Jewish bookstores I know of, one French and one Japanese (and likely more other language ones I've just never run into); we even have a store devoted to selling plays. There's also a Barnes & Crap in the neighbourhood and others around.

Do you buy printed books?

Yes.

Where do you buy them? (Describe the kind of book store; Amazon, another online retailer, used online retailer, chain, local independent . . . .)


Amazon or any of the above, though I try to steer clear of B&N.

How many printed books did you buy last year, roughly?


Probably.... 20? 30?

How many digital books did you buy last year, roughly?


A couple as gifts.


How does that compare to this year?


Probably fewer so far, I've got a tbr pile.

Why did you buy the last printed book you bought? (A friend, a review, an advertisement, a favorite author, you've been looking for it . . . .)

Because I want to know all the Trump dirt. :D


Do you use a local library? What do you use/borrow (Internet at the library, login to the library site, borrow ebooks/digital media, borrow printed books . . . )


Not for borrowing books.

Any general comments about your local book scene?

We could support more than we've got, I think. The returning indie will help.
 
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folclor

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Okay, so, where I live now doesn't have a book store anywhere near (closest is something like 5 hours away). So I'm going to answer one thing for where I live now and the other for when I visit the city or the States.

What are the local bookstores like? Independents, chains, used book stores, Friends of the Library bookstores, Comic stores, specialty stores (for instance, Christian or Jewish or non-English or Technical book stores)?
Where I live: There are no bookstores. As mentioned above, the closest one is 5 hours from here.
In my hometown: There's a couple chains (B&N and then a Christian store and a really, really good comic shop) and a few independent book stores. They all do well to my knowledge.


Do you buy printed books?
In both cases: Yes. I cannot stand reading on an electronic device.

Where do you buy them? (Describe the kind of book store; Amazon, another online retailer, used online retailer, chain, local independent . . . .)
Where I live: I buy them on Amazon
In my hometown: B&N or the comic shop or the small bookshop near my parents' place.
In the city: Chapters

How many printed books did you buy last year, roughly?
I think I bought 2 last year

How many digital books did you buy last year, roughly?
None.

How does that compare to this year?
So far this year I've still bought no digital books, but I have bought 27 print books so far this year.

Why did you buy the last printed book you bought? (A friend, a review, an advertisement, a favorite author, you've been looking for it . . . .)
Well, I bought the 27 books in a bit of a binge while very depressed. I bought them because I want to learn how to be a better author and learn to enjoy reading again. Because I bought 27 of them in a batch, I'll group them below as to why I bought them.
The Dresden Files (books 1-6) - I started reading the "Look Inside" and just loved it. I bought the first 6 because I also bought the first 6 Wheel of Time books and I figured 6 was a good number to get started with.
Wheel of Time (books 1-6) - Someone said that my writing reminded her of Robert Jordan and I've never read any of his work, so I went ham on it. No idea if I'll like the series.
Stephen King's Dark Tower (books 1-3) - The same someone who said my writing reminded her of Robert Jordan also said it reminded her sort of of Stephen King's. I've never read any of his stuff, so I bought the first three.
Mistborn Trilogy - Another writer friend said Branden Sanderson was one of her favorite authors, so I figured I'd try out his work with the Mistborn books.
The Traitor God - I love the cover and Cameron seems like a great guy on here, so I decided to try and support him.
Age of Assassins - Great cover and liked what I saw on Look Inside.
Spellslinger - I love the cover.
In the Region of the Summer Stars - It looks amazing and I liked what I found on Look Inside.
The other stuff I bought is yet to get here and can mainly be boiled down to, "I like the cover and the "Look Inside.""

Do you use a local library? What do you use/borrow (Internet at the library, login to the library site, borrow ebooks/digital media, borrow printed books . . . )
I do not. I did when I lived in Texas, but not now. It's too far for me to go.

Any general comments about your local book scene?
I wish there was one.
 
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Chris P

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I divide my time between Washington, DC area (70%) and Marquette, Michigan (30%), which has a population of about 22,000 while DC is, well, DC. One thing I love about both places is that they are very bookish and literate. I've not always lived where that is so. My experiences in both places are pretty similar overall.



What are the local bookstores like? Independents, chains, used book stores, Friends of the Library bookstores, Comic stores, specialty stores (for instance, Christian or Jewish or non-English or Technical book stores)?

DC: Several Barnes and Nobles, be they in Arlington, Bethesda, Falls Church, etc. There are some smaller local chains, such as Politics and Prose, and the Busboys and Poets restaurant has a book section. For independent stores selling new books, I mainly shop at Kramer Books, but there are a couple others in less convenient locations. For used books, there's several such as Second Story and Capitol Hill Bookshop.

Marquette: No chain bookstores. For a Barnes and Noble, you have to drive 3+ hours to Green Bay. We have one independent (and excellent!) store Snowbound Books. Bookworld was the other, but it closed about a year ago (and wasn't as good as Snowbound). Other than that, there's the book sections and Wal-Mart and Target which only stock best sellers. The library is very good.


Do you buy printed books?

Only visual books like graphic novels or picture- and map-heavy history books. Otherwise, it's almost exclusively e-reader.

Where do you buy them? (Describe the kind of book store; Amazon, another online retailer, used online retailer, chain, local independent . . . .)

For paper books, either Barnes and Nobel or Kramer. Ebooks exclusively from Amazon since I have a Kindle.

How many printed books did you buy last year, roughly?

For me to read, perhaps 10. Again, these were graphic novels or history books with pics and maps. My wife still prefers paper books, so for gifts roughly double that.


How many digital books did you buy last year, roughly?

30, give or take.


How does that compare to this year?

I bought more this year (my reading challenge is going gangbusters!)


Why did you buy the last printed book you bought? (A friend, a review, an advertisement, a favorite author, you've been looking for it . . . .)

A graphic novel that looked like an amazing story with good artwork.


Do you use a local library? What do you use/borrow (Internet at the library, login to the library site, borrow ebooks/digital media, borrow printed books . . . )

I don't use the library often.


Any general comments about your local book scene?

For DC, I'm surprised how few independent new bookstores there are. The used stores were harder to find than I expected. For Marquette, I am much impressed with the bookstore and book club scene, especially compared to my time living in a similar-sized and also university town in Mississippi that at the time had one local interest bookstore (by that I mean mostly picture books of the university football team or local area) or later on a Barnes and Noble that within two years replaced nearly all of its fiction, literature and non-fic with sports hoodies and cowbells.


ETA: Both the DC and Marquette bookstores are doing very well. Kramer's stays packed from open to close every day, and it is rare to be the only customer in Snowbound, no matter the time of day.
 
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What are the local bookstores like? Independents, chains, used book stores, Friends of the Library bookstores, Comic stores, specialty stores (for instance, Christian or Jewish or non-English or Technical book stores)?

I live in LA, which, for the second-largest city in America, is pretty pitiful when it comes to bookstores. There's one Barnes and Noble mid-city and a handful of independents (I work at one of them) all surviving well enough. But it's slim pickings in the city itself, certain there are a number as you travel outwards. Seems like a problem everywhere, and LA is not going to be the outlier in that regard.

Do you buy printed books?

Heck yeah! Ain't gonna happen with the eReaders, though I occasionally read galleys on my laptop

Where do you buy them? (Describe the kind of book store; Amazon, another online retailer, used online retailer, chain, local independent . . . .)

Bookstores, mine especially. As long it's on Ingram or Baker & Taylor I can order it through the store and get a staff discount. Otherwise I will go through Amazon, but rarely.

How many printed books did you buy last year, roughly?

Uhhh, fifteen to twenty-ish, maybe more.


How many digital books did you buy last year, roughly?

None.

How does that compare to this year?

'Bout average.


Why did you buy the last printed book you bought? (A friend, a review, an advertisement, a favorite author, you've been looking for it . . . .)

Because it was Ivy & Bean and I was drooling over it.


Do you use a local library? What do you use/borrow (Internet at the library, login to the library site, borrow ebooks/digital media, borrow printed books . . . )

Yes I do, generally books I want to read when I don't have money, otherwise I'm very mercurial when it comes to buying vs. borrowing.


Any general comments about your local book scene?

People REALLY want more bookstores. I hear it every day.
 

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People REALLY want more bookstores. I hear it every day.


Yeah, I think so too, and I'm hearing it a lot. When I can go to the local "downtown" area, I hear tourists asking about bookstores pretty often.
 

Ari Meermans

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What are the local bookstores like? Independents, chains, used book stores, Friends of the Library bookstores, Comic stores, specialty stores (for instance, Christian or Jewish or non-English or Technical book stores)?

The closest independent bookstore is an hour away and I've only visited it once on the way to somewhere else. It was an "ooh, ooh, ooh" stop. The closest used bookstore is about 30 miles away and, again, I've only been there once. I do sometimes find a book on my "looking for" list at Goodwill. Not often, though. I shop at B&N when I can get over there. The "local" Library is only 6 miles from here and I've attended their FOtL book sales—as well as donated to them—but the selection of YA and adult books I haven't yet read is thin; most books are children's books.

Do you buy printed books?

I buy hard to find books, out of print books, and books written by my favorite authors in hardcover or trade paperback.

Where do you buy them? (Describe the kind of book store; Amazon, another online retailer, used online retailer, chain, local independent . . . .)

Hard to find and out of print are best found at Goodwill around here; that's why it takes a while for them to fall off my list.

How many printed books did you buy last year, roughly?

Roughly . . . about 15.

How many digital books did you buy last year, roughly?

Amazon sez 161.

How does that compare to this year?

Amazon sez 94 so far this year, but it isn't winter, yet. :)

Why did you buy the last printed book you bought? (A friend, a review, an advertisement, a favorite author, you've been looking for it . . . .)

Recommended by a friend.

Do you use a local library? What do you use/borrow (Internet at the library, login to the library site, borrow ebooks/digital media, borrow printed books . . . )

Borrow print books when something comes in that I haven't yet read and looks really good.

Any general comments about your local book scene?

The closest B&N is the smallest B&N I've seen and it really seems to be more gewgaws than books, actually. I wish there was an independent bookstore nearby—I miss the ones I used to visit twice a month in Georgetown (D.C.) and Boston.
 
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Brightdreamer

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What are the local bookstores like? Independents, chains, used book stores, Friends of the Library bookstores, Comic stores, specialty stores (for instance, Christian or Jewish or non-English or Technical book stores)?

In my town, there are none; the last used bookstore we had was a creepy, dark hole run by a man of questionable hygiene (among other things), and the only one left is a B&N whose days, I fear, are numbered.

Do you buy printed books?

Yes.

Where do you buy them? (Describe the kind of book store; Amazon, another online retailer, used online retailer, chain, local independent . . . .)

Amazon, B&N (have my best luck at one a few cities away; our local one just keeps going downhill faster), Half-Price Books, (very rarely) thrift store, and I had a decent day at a Third Place Books a while back.

How many printed books did you buy last year, roughly?

I'm gonna say... about 25? (My To Be Read pile is rather large; I keep trying to whittle it down before I buy more.)


How many digital books did you buy last year, roughly?

More than that. (See again notes about TBR "pile"...)

How does that compare to this year?

Eh... feels about the same, though I'm trying to cut back on the digital "just because it's on sale" thing.

Why did you buy the last printed book you bought? (A friend, a review, an advertisement, a favorite author, you've been looking for it . . . .)

IIRC, my last bookstore buys were: I'd been looking for the title (I keep a list on my phone, compiled from various sources - online articles that impressed me, the odd recommendation, awards nominees/winners, sequels or series I'm following or want to start, "coming soon from Publisher Whose Mailing List I'm On", etc. - to help combat Bookstore Brain Paralysis), a new series by an author I'd enjoyed previously, and possibly a total impulse purchase.

Do you use a local library? What do you use/borrow (Internet at the library, login to the library site, borrow ebooks/digital media, borrow printed books . . . )

I work for the local library system's shipping center, but thus far have only borrowed digitally via Overdrive (eBooks) and Hoopla (digital comic books) on my Nook Galaxy tablet (easy with the apps, though don't get me started on the buggy thing that is Libby, which they're trying to push now.) Technically, I can borrow anything I see on the job that doesn't have a hold slip and isn't going to one of the "library connection" branches; I tell myself I will when the backlog gets low enough so I can more or less guarantee a reading before I have to return it. (I do, actually, do a fair bit of "shopping" at work; I skim for titles that intrigue me, then get home and look them up to see if I want to add them to my phone list.)

Any general comments about your local book scene?

Not really, except I'd love another book store in town, especially if B&N goes the way I fear it will inside the next couple years. We're supposed to be a library-friendly area, so why we don't have a few more indies or even chains popping up I don't know.
 

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What are the local bookstores like? Independents, chains, used book stores, Friends of the Library bookstores, Comic stores, specialty stores (for instance, Christian or Jewish or non-English or Technical book stores)?

Not a lot of independents here - some used book stores and a couple of small specialty stores (I know one's a Christian bookstore), but we're pretty much served by Barnes and Noble, and that's it.

(I should add there are some comic shops around, but I don't have the knowledge to say if they're good or not.)

Do you buy printed books?

Not often. I'll do it for cookbooks, books I really love, and gifts (not everyone I know uses an ereader), but for my own everyday reading I'm pretty much exclusively ebooks now.

Where do you buy them? (Describe the kind of book store; Amazon, another online retailer, used online retailer, chain, local independent . . . .)

If possible, I buy from iBooks, mostly because I prefer their ereader to the Kindle app. If the book's not available there, I hit Amazon.

ETA: I totally misread this question!! I buy printed books at Barnes and Noble if I can find them, and at Amazon if they're not in stock.

How many printed books did you buy last year, roughly?

Including books for The Kid? Probably 40 or so.

How many digital books did you buy last year, roughly?

About 15-20.

How does that compare to this year?

I've gone WAY down on both this year. The Kid doesn't read manga as much anymore, so it takes her more than an afternoon to get through a book. I don't think I've bought any physical books for myself at all. Say maybe 5-10 print books, and 10-15 ebooks.

Why did you buy the last printed book you bought? (A friend, a review, an advertisement, a favorite author, you've been looking for it . . . .)

It was on The Kid's birthday wish list.

Do you use a local library? What do you use/borrow (Internet at the library, login to the library site, borrow ebooks/digital media, borrow printed books . . . )

I don't, actually, and shame on me.

Any general comments about your local book scene?

It's...thin.

Our local Barnes and Noble is one of the smaller ones (single floor, no movies/CDs), and more and more floor space is taken up by non-books. Markdown books and NYT bestsellers are close to the front of the store, the children's area is in the back, and everything else is sandwiched in between. To give you a sense: the New In Paperback table is in the back of the store by the kids' section.

In recent years I've seen their shelf space increase for manga and comics, teen books, and TV and video game tie-ins. The SFF section (that's not Star Trek novels--no shade intended; I love Star Trek novels!) is dominated by Martin and Sanderson, and gorgeous (and pricey) special editions of Tolkein and Herbert. But apart from the occasional buzzed-about debut, I don't see much that's not "classic" SFF, and I often don't see second or third books from authors I know are selling perfectly well.

I also noticed recently that most of the people I'd seen working there for years were gone, and in fact one of the people who'd worked as a cashier in the in-store Starbucks was now working the checkout. Coincidence, maybe, but it made me rather sad.
 
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What are the local bookstores like? Independents, chains, used book stores, Friends of the Library bookstores, Comic stores, specialty stores (for instance, Christian or Jewish or non-English or Technical book stores)?
From Anchorage, Alaska: We have one big Barnes & Noble store still extant. The other big store is a fabulous "used" bookstore called Title Wave, which has been around for at least 25 years and continues th thrive, by all appearances. They stock books in various languages as well as in English.

you buy printed books?
Exclusively. I ain't got no Kindle.

Where do you buy them? (Describe the kind of book store; Amazon, another online retailer, used online retailer, chain, local independent . . . .)
Locally, from the bookstores described above. When I travel, I look for local bookstores. In August, I spent ten days in Iowa City, Iowa, a town housing a big university, and with at least two exceptional local bookstores, one for new books another for used. Bought a bunch there.

How many printed books did you buy last year, roughly?
estimate 50-80.

How many digital books did you buy last year, roughly?
Zero, roughly. Could be fewer than that.

How does that compare to this year?
About the same.


Why did you buy the last printed book you bought? (A friend, a review, an advertisement, a favorite author, you've been looking for it . . . .)
My son and I got interested in the video series about Georges Simenon's detective Maigret, starring Rowan Atkinson (excellent, by the way. If you are used to seen Atkinson as Mr. Bean or some other broad comedic role, be ready for a good surprise). So I went to the local used store I mentioned above and bought four of them.

Do you use a local library? What do you use/borrow (Internet at the library, login to the library site, borrow ebooks/digital media, borrow printed books . . . )
Borrow. Real physical books, plus videos. Occasionally lose.

Any general comments about your local book scene?
Fairly vigorous and lively, I'd say. We get long dark winters, and it might be that reading books with a cat on your lap in front of a nice warm fireplace is considered a pleasant thing by many people.

caw
 
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Alessandra Kelley

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What are the local bookstores like? Independents, chains, used book stores, Friends of the Library bookstores, Comic stores, specialty stores (for instance, Christian or Jewish or non-English or Technical book stores)?

I live in the shadow of the University of Chicago. At the moment my neighborhood has in easy walking distance one chain bookstore (the “official” university bookstore, a branch of Barnes and Noble, I believe), one independent bookstore with two locations with different emphases (one very strongly academic, one broader with a children’s section and mysteries, sci fi, and travel), one excellent secondhand bookstore, and one comics shop. In addition there are books in the gift shops at the Museum of Science and Industry, the Oriental Institute Museum (Middle Eastern art and archeology), and the Smart Museum of Art.

There are, I am given to understand, excellent bookstores elsewhere in Chicago as well.

Do you buy printed books?

Absolutely, yes. I find it much easier to read and retain information from a tactile book I can find places in with my hands and lay down next to another book for comparison.

Where do you buy them? (Describe the kind of book store; Amazon, another online retailer, used online retailer, chain, local independent . . . .)

The local independent and secondhand stores, Alibris (online secondhand booksellers), the Book Depository (online retailer).

How many printed books did you buy last year, roughly?

On the order of 30-50, I think, quite a few of them secondhand.

How many digital books did you buy last year, roughly?

None. Downladed a few free pdfs.

How does that compare to this year?

About the same.

Why did you buy the last printed book you bought? (A friend, a review, an advertisement, a favorite author, you've been looking for it . . . .)

I spotted a book of traditional Japanese ghost and monster artwork in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (NY) bookshop and it looked interesting from both an antrhopological and an artistic perspective.

So kind of on a whim, an “Oh, that’s neat.”


Do you use a local library? What do you use/borrow (Internet at the library, login to the library site, borrow ebooks/digital media, borrow printed books . . . )

No, which is kind of funny. We have good ones in this city.


Any general comments about your local book scene?

I’ve spotted at least one Little Free Library in the area.

The independent bookstores are good about guest authors.

Every Columbus Day weekend our neighborhood club holds a fundraiser with donated secondhand books. In a neighborhood like this it tends to be full of good stuff.
 

cool pop

It's Cool, Miss Pop if You're Nasty
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What are the local bookstores like? Independents, chains, used book stores, Friends of the Library bookstores, Comic stores, specialty stores (for instance, Christian or Jewish or non-English or Technical book stores)?

I live in the fourth largest city in the US (I'll make you guys Google if you can't automatically figure it out). :tongue We have all kinds of bookstores here but Borders is all gone and many of the Barnes and Nobles are gone as well. There are some far out from where I live but not sure how many are left. We have all kinds of indie stores for every type of literature you need. I am not sure how many of these still exist but had quite a few at one time.


Do you buy printed books?

No



Where do you buy them? (Describe the kind of book store; Amazon, another online retailer, used online retailer, chain, local independent . . . .)

I buy strictly ebooks. I was buying mostly from Amazon but have been buying from Barnes and Noble online lately.

How many printed books did you buy last year, roughly?

0, it's been at least three or four years since I've read or bought a print book.



How many digital books did you buy last year, roughly?


20-30



How does that compare to this year?

I've bought less this year.



Why did you buy the last printed book you bought? (A friend, a review, an advertisement, a favorite author, you've been looking for it . . . .)

I don't pay attention to recommendations or reviews. I just buy what I want. I probably bought the last print book because the book didn't come in ebook.




Do you use a local library? What do you use/borrow (Internet at the library, login to the library site, borrow ebooks/digital media, borrow printed books . . . )

Nope. Haven't been to the library in over ten years. The Internet is a big enough library for me. I find all the books I need, free or otherwise. The last time I went it was probably for researching a story I was writing or getting the latest Writers Market or Jeff Herman agents directory.



Any general comments about your local book scene?

I miss Borders. Other than that, nope.
 

Helix

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What are the local bookstores like? Independents, chains, used book stores, Friends of the Library bookstores, Comic stores, specialty stores (for instance, Christian or Jewish or non-English or Technical book stores)?

There's only one bookshop in the area and it's an independent that sells a variety of books. (It also sells a lot of games.) It was a much different situation when I lived in Melbourne -- loads of independent bookshops, both generalist and specialist.


Do you buy printed books?

Oh, my word, I do.


Where do you buy them? (Describe the kind of book store; Amazon, another online retailer, used online retailer, chain, local independent . . . .)

I browse or order them in from the local shop. I also buy via mail order from Avid Reader (Brisbane), and Readings (Melbourne) and CSIRO. And I have to be dragged away from bookshops when I'm travelling.


How many printed books did you buy last year, roughly?

Somewhere between 70 and 100.


How many digital books did you buy last year, roughly?

Probably about the same.


How does that compare to this year?

2018 is on track to be a bumper book year.


Why did you buy the last printed book you bought? (A friend, a review, an advertisement, a favorite author, you've been looking for it . . . .)

I bought a bunch: two fiction and two non-fiction. One was by someone I knew, another was by someone who had been in the news and who had an important story to tell, the third was by someone whose last novel I'd enjoyed, and the fourth was about a topic I'm interested in.


Do you use a local library? What do you use/borrow (Internet at the library, login to the library site, borrow ebooks/digital media, borrow printed books . . . )

I do. I borrow printed books. Our local library is great, given that it probably doesn't have a big budget and has to service six branches spread out over a large, sparsely populated area.


Any general comments about your local book scene?

There are a few secondhand bookshops around, otherwise it's pretty grim.
 

Lauram6123

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What are the local bookstores like? Independents, chains, used book stores, Friends of the Library bookstores, Comic stores, specialty stores (for instance, Christian or Jewish or non-English or Technical book stores)?

We have 2 chains (Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million) and a used Indy bookstore that does the whole buy, sell and trade thing. The other bookstores that I know of are small and Christian or Mormon. Oh, and there is the University bookstore, as well.


Do you buy printed books?
Yes


Where do you buy them? (Describe the kind of book store; Amazon, another online retailer, used online retailer, chain, local independent . . . .)
Barnes & Noble, Amazon and lately eBay.


How many printed books did you buy last year, roughly?

30


How many digital books did you buy last year, roughly?

5


How does that compare to this year?

This year, because I'm researching a new WIP, I've gone wild with used book buying on eBay, so that means I've bought at least 30 books this year so far. (Most of my eBay book purchases come from thrift stores and are only a couple of bucks. It's pretty awesome.)


Why did you buy the last printed book you bought? (A friend, a review, an advertisement, a favorite author, you've been looking for it . . . .)

Research

Do you use a local library? What do you use/borrow (Internet at the library, login to the library site, borrow ebooks/digital media, borrow printed books . . . )

I do use it, but not to borrow books. My kids borrow printed books there, though.

Any general comments about your local book scene?

I wish there were some cool Indie bookstores here where you could drink coffee and hang out. There are some in Asheville, NC that I fantasize about.


I'd be interested in any anecdotal comments, general observations, etc. I'm going to post this, then click Reply and answer myself.

I've started buying audio books from Audible this year, as well.
 

Fuchsia Groan

Becoming a laptop-human hybrid
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What are the local bookstores like? Independents, chains, used book stores, Friends of the Library bookstores, Comic stores, specialty stores (for instance, Christian or Jewish or non-English or Technical book stores?
I live in a midsize New England college town. We have two fine indie bookstores that belong to a local chain, a B&N, a great indie specializing in kids' books, and a good used bookstore with a small new selection. All host author events and are friendly to authors, or at least to me. :) Within an hour's radius there are other indies sprinkled through the rural towns.

Do you buy printed books?
Yes! I was doing more e-books for a while, but I've made a big swing back to print.

Where do you buy them? (Describe the kind of book store; Amazon, another online retailer, used online retailer, chain, local independent . . . .)
My goal is to buy them all at local indies, even if that means ordering them. Sometimes I get impatient, though, and lately I've been reading a series that's out of print. Those I bought from third-party sellers on Amazon. Usually though, if I have to buy online, I use Powell's, which has both new and used.

How many printed books did you buy last year, roughly?
I'm guessing 20.

How many digital books did you buy last year, roughly?
Maybe 6.

How does that compare to this year?
So far this year I've bought about 20 print books and zero e-books. The pro-print trend started when I was going to other authors' events and bought their books, and then I realized I prefer reading print and need to reduce my screen time. I still read my CPs' mss. electronically.

Why did you buy the last printed book you bought?
Someone mentioned it in a discussion on the Morning News Tournament of Books. I'm always on the lookout for cerebral creepy books, and that's how it was described. I didn't find it at my local indie, but then I visited a rural indie to pitch my book to the owner, and there it was on the shelf! I was impressed.

Do you use a local library?
Used to, but my card expired a few years ago and I haven't renewed it. I should, because I spend too much money on books, not all of which I want to keep. I never figured out how to make e-book borrowing work for me (I will only read on my iPad).
Any general comments about your local book scene?
I don't want to make things sound too rosy, but I think it's good. About five years ago, after Borders closed, we had no downtown bookstore except the mostly-used one. This led to many letters-to-the-editor from irate book lovers, some of whom helped support the local chain when it expanded into downtown using a "community support" model. The local chain still has a membership model: pay $30 a year and you get 20 percent off everything. It's worth it to me. I had my book launch there.

What we don't have is a bookstore where you can also have a latte, except for B&N, which is in the suburbs. :)
 

PeteMC

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What are the local bookstores like? Independents, chains, used book stores, Friends of the Library bookstores, Comic stores, specialty stores (for instance, Christian or Jewish or non-English or Technical book stores)?

Pretty good - there's a Waterstones in my city, plus a few decent independent and second hand bookshops and a couple of comicbook shops.


Do you buy printed books?

Yes, exclusively


Where do you buy them? (Describe the kind of book store; Amazon, another online retailer, used online retailer, chain, local independent . . . .)

Waterstones or a second hand shop. Amazon if I really have to, but it's a last resort.


How many printed books did you buy last year, roughly?

Maybe 20 - 30


How many digital books did you buy last year, roughly?

None


How does that compare to this year?


Less - I get sent a lot of free books by publishers these days

Why did you buy the last printed book you bought? (A friend, a review, an advertisement, a favorite author, you've been looking for it . . . .)

It was the sequel to a book I really enjoyed - I'd been looking forward to it for nearly a year


Do you use a local library? What do you use/borrow (Internet at the library, login to the library site, borrow ebooks/digital media, borrow printed books . . . )

Not any more, but I virtually lived there as a kid


Any general comments about your local book scene?

It's pretty good where I live
 

Elenitsa

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What are the local bookstores like? Independents, chains, used book stores, Friends of the Library bookstores, Comic stores, specialty stores (for instance, Christian or Jewish or non-English or Technical book stores)?

We have independents, chains, used book stores and some book stores specialised for books in English, French or German, or for specific Christian faiths.

Do you buy printed books?

Yes. In my country, printed books are the norm. Ebooks are mostly pirated or taken for free on the sites offering free books, and even these are few, the main readers of ebooks being students or recent graduates.

Where do you buy them? (Describe the kind of book store; Amazon, another online retailer, used online retailer, chain, local independent . . . .)

In the bookstores I see them, be they chain or local independent, or used bookstores, or newly released books at literary events. Never online. (And Amazon doesn't deliver here - it would need a cartographer to update their world maps...)

How many printed books did you buy last year, roughly?

Not sure. Maybe 20, maybe more.

How many digital books did you buy last year, roughly?

I didn't buy any, but I received some. Or I downloaded from the free writing advice sites.

How does that compare to this year?

I would say similar.


Why did you buy the last printed book you bought? (A friend, a review, an advertisement, a favorite author, you've been looking for it . . . .)

I bought it at a literary event, being from a favourite author.

Do you use a local library? What do you use/borrow (Internet at the library, login to the library site, borrow ebooks/digital media, borrow printed books . . . )

I used a local library, but not anymore. It was used for borrowing printed books (no internet at the library, and classical card indexes).

Any general comments about your local book scene?

People aren't reading as much, and the writers remain to read each other. This is sad...
 
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Lakey

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What are the local bookstores like? Independents, chains, used book stores, Friends of the Library bookstores, Comic stores, specialty stores (for instance, Christian or Jewish or non-English or Technical book stores)?
There’s a thriving independent bookstore in my neighborhood. Though in the 15 years I’ve lived here, their little section of gifts/notebooks/cards/other non-book items has grown, it’s still a thriving bookstore qua bookstore. People come from other parts of town to visit it. It’s open until 9PM even on weeknights, and it is always crowded. The neighborhood also has a couple of Jewish bookstores and a Russian bookstore, and a comic shop. (Anyone who knows the Boston area well now knows exactly where I live. Come on by! I make very good coffee.)

Greater Boston in general is a superb place for bookstores, though many of the ones I cherished when I first moved here - like the foreign-language bookseller Schoenhof’s in Harvard Square, Quantum Books near MIT, or MacIntyre & Moore - have closed. (Shoenhof’s still has an online store.) There is still Harvard Books (which is a superb indie, not the University shop, which is run by Barnes & Noble these days), and the MIT Press Bookshop, and the other university shops (most of which are B&Ns), and still quite a few speciality shops and used shops around.

Do you buy printed books?
I do. I find the Kindle convenient because I tend to read eyeball books slowly, which means I carry them around in my backpack for months, and printed books get beat up pretty badly in that process. I borrowed some books from my dad recently and one of them got so chewed up I bought him a new copy rather than return it; another I bought for myself in Kindle and gave him back his copy before I could destroy it.

About 3/4 of my reading is in audio form these days; the rest is about half Kindle, half printed.

Where do you buy them? (Describe the kind of book store; Amazon, another online retailer, used online retailer, chain, local independent . . . .)

My local independent, or other bookstores that I happen into serendipitously; or, Amazon, if it’s something I can’t find another way.

How many printed books did you buy last year, roughly?

About a dozen, I think.

How many digital books did you buy last year, roughly?

Counting both Kindle books and Audiobooks, probably about 50. Kindle books alone, again about a dozen.

How does that compare to this year?

About the same pace.

Why did you buy the last printed book you bought? (A friend, a review, an advertisement, a favorite author, you've been looking for it . . . .)
I went down to the used basement section of my local indie that I mentioned above, and several books followed me home. One was a memoir that I knew was out of print, because I had recently searched for it on Amazon. The others were more opportunistic purchases of stuff I probably could have bought in audio or Kindle form if I’d tried to.

Do you use a local library? What do you use/borrow (Internet at the library, login to the library site, borrow ebooks/digital media, borrow printed books . . . )

I don’t. No particular reason; I just don’t use it.

Any general comments about your local book scene?
See above - I live in one of the better places a book-lover can live.
 

D.L. Shepherd

Revising, revising, revising...
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What are the local bookstores like? Independents, chains, used book stores, Friends of the Library bookstores, Comic stores, specialty stores (for instance, Christian or Jewish or non-English or Technical book stores)?

The nearest local bookstore to me is a Barnes and Noble.

Do you buy printed books?

Yes. I only read printed books. I'm on the computer much of the day for work and for my own writing, so when I want to relax and read, I prefer to turn off the screen.

Where do you buy them? (Describe the kind of book store; Amazon, another online retailer, used online retailer, chain, local independent . . . .)

Costco, the supermarket, Barnes and Noble, and online through Amazon and/or Barnes and Noble.

How many printed books did you buy last year, roughly?

~ 15 if I had to guess.

How many digital books did you buy last year, roughly?

None.

How does that compare to this year?

This year has been hectic so I've been reading less. I've maybe purchased 6 print books so far.

Why did you buy the last printed book you bought? (A friend, a review, an advertisement, a favorite author, you've been looking for it . . . .)

Favorite author. I also buy books by topic, and try to read at least one or two new authors each year.

Do you use a local library? What do you use/borrow (Internet at the library, login to the library site, borrow ebooks/digital media, borrow printed books . . . )

No. When I do want to read something, I prefer to purchase it to support other writers (even if I haven't had enough time to read as much as I'd like!)

Any general comments about your local book scene?

I'm not a hang out in the bookstore type person. I prefer to just pick out what I want and read it at home.
 

Carrie in PA

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What are the local bookstores like? Independents, chains, used book stores, Friends of the Library bookstores, Comic stores, specialty stores (for instance, Christian or Jewish or non-English or Technical book stores)?

I have one independent Christian bookstore within 20 miles. My closest indy used bookstore is 50 miles away. Closest chain bookstore (Books A Million) is also 50 miles away. I consider them my "local" bookstores because we're rural and I have to go that far to shop anywhere other than Walmart.

Do you buy printed books?

Yes.

Where do you buy them? (Describe the kind of book store; Amazon, another online retailer, used online retailer, chain, local independent . . . .)

My indy used bookstore, mostly. Second would be BAM, followed by library book sales, and Amazon would be last. I use them mostly for older, hard to find stuff, reference books... I try to spend the bulk of my print dollars supporting brick & mortar stores and the library.

How many printed books did you buy last year, roughly?

I would guess in the neighborhood of 50-75?


How many digital books did you buy last year, roughly?

Probably close to 30-40, here is where Amazon exclusively gets my dollars. The kindle is just too convenient.


How does that compare to this year?

Pretty much the same. I buy far more books than I'll ever consume.


Why did you buy the last printed book you bought? (A friend, a review, an advertisement, a favorite author, you've been looking for it . . . .)

Favorite author I've been binge reading.


Do you use a local library? What do you use/borrow (Internet at the library, login to the library site, borrow ebooks/digital media, borrow printed books . . . )

Yes. I borrow ebooks through the Overdrive app. Occasionally I'll borrow the library's space and go there to write, but I rarely check out print books.


Any general comments about your local book scene?

I wish my local scene was more local than it is.
 

gem1122

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What are the local bookstores like? Independents, chains, used book stores, Friends of the Library bookstores, Comic stores, specialty stores (for instance, Christian or Jewish or non-English or Technical book stores)?

​B&N a few miles away. Other than that, there's nothing but a very small Christian store that sells books along with other stuff. The only places to buy used books are thrift stores.


Do you buy printed books?

Yes


Where do you buy them? (Describe the kind of book store; Amazon, another online retailer, used online retailer, chain, local independent . . . .)

Amazon, sometimes at B/N. I need to make a more concerted effort to buy elsewhere online.


How many printed books did you buy last year, roughly?

20


How many digital books did you buy last year, roughly?

10


How does that compare to this year?

About the same


Why did you buy the last printed book you bought? (A friend, a review, an advertisement, a favorite author, you've been looking for it . . . .)

Though I like the ease of my Kindle, I find myself missing the feel of an actual book. The last book I purchased was 100 Years of Solitude. I've never read it.


Do you use a local library? What do you use/borrow (Internet at the library, login to the library site, borrow ebooks/digital media, borrow printed books . . . )

Yes, but not often. I take out the occasional book or download an e-book. When I am in the middle of a writing project, I like to hide away in a quiet corner of the library to write.


Any general comments about your local book scene?

My wife and I actually toyed with the idea of opening a bookstore a few years ago. We'd gone so far as to contact a small used-book franchise. But in light of some health issues with one of our kids, we weren't willing to make the long-term time commitment.

I've been walking/jogging more, and have taken to listening to audio-books.
 
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Jeneral

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I live in a smallish city in Central Florida, not far from Orlando.

What are the local bookstores like? Independents, chains, used book stores, Friends of the Library bookstores, Comic stores, specialty stores (for instance, Christian or Jewish or non-English or Technical book stores)?


My downtown has an indie bookstore that's been around for a few years now. It's mostly used books, but has probably 20-30% new stock as well. Also some games and comics. There's a Books a Million about 20 minutes down the road, and a couple Barnes & Noble stores closer to Orlando.


Do you buy printed books?

Sometimes. I've switched to more ebooks than physical ones, mostly as a space issue.

Where do you buy them? (Describe the kind of book store; Amazon, another online retailer, used online retailer, chain, local independent . . . .)

I try to give my indie bookstore business, so I'll typically shoot her a Facebook message or stop in to order a book I'm looking for. If it's a more instant gratification issue, I'll order from Amazon Prime.


How many printed books did you buy last year, roughly?

Not too many... maybe 5-10?


How many digital books did you buy last year, roughly?

More. I'm a sucker for books that are on sale. I'd guess 20-30?


How does that compare to this year?

I think I've bought fewer books so far this year since I was concentrating on my own writing/beta reading for others and not reading as much in my free time.



Why did you buy the last printed book you bought? (A friend, a review, an advertisement, a favorite author, you've been looking for it . . . .)

My friend's book that came out in June. Oh wait, and I just ordered a copy of Cyrano de Bergerac that's waiting for me to pick up; it's research for my WIP.


Do you use a local library? What do you use/borrow (Internet at the library, login to the library site, borrow ebooks/digital media, borrow printed books . . . )

I don't. We have a local library that has a fair amount of programs, but it was limited when we first moved here, so I haven't been back. I should, honestly.


Any general comments about your local book scene?

I'm pretty impressed with my little indie store. They discount their new books, and have a large stock of used. They've started having more author events and a monthly book club. They feel like a fixture in the community so I hope they stick around. I'd like it if they had a larger selection of new books, but if you're looking for something specific it can be ordered in a matter of days.
 
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