I thought the idea behind National Bookshop Day was to celebrate the place local bookshops have within their communities. The fact that they employ local people who love books and like nothing better than to share their book knowledge with locals. The ones that support local schools and clubs. The ones that invest time and effort in promoting literature to young and old. The ones that make it possible for readers to connect with their favourite authors through book launches and author events.
Does an online bookshop fit this criteria? And should they be jumping on the National Bookshop Day band wagon or are they being very cheeky?
Let me know what you think.
I am also very very peeved! I totally agree with what you have said. They do not contribute to a local economy in the way we do. They do not invest time and effort into their customers or into new authors. They do not drag trestle tables to community events and donate to their cricket club and give raffle prizes and host bookclubs and hold evening events. They don't pay local rents, council fees, local courier companies, local stationery shops, local window cleaners, local garbage collection. They don't host book fairs and have story time for kids. But they DO take sales away from bricks and mortar bookshops all around Australia, making it harder for us to do all these things. So in effect, they are taking away from communities.
ReplyDeleteRegards,
Marianna.
Candelo Books