Borders Filing For Bankruptcy, Stores closing.

[karadinart]

I remember when the first Borders opened here in 1990, and subsequently, most of our decades-old independent bookstores shut down, there isn't going to be much left to fill the gap. Some blame the failings in the recession and e-readers. My only fear is, paper books will become more expensive (then they already are) and there will be less paper books in libraries - maybe there will eventually be virtual libraries, but I love going to the local library, with is wonderfully light-filled high ceilings, the park and the coffee shop.

And I love well made books, the paper, the bindings, holding them in my hand. While e-reading is fine, I always wonder, what if the reader breaks, or I lose power, or my file gets corrupted? Or what if they begin selling books that have an expiration date? You don't have those issues with a paper book.

http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/documents/st_borders0216_20110216.html

Comments

[glitterburn.livejournal.com]

Borders closed here a couple of years ago so it was only a matter of time. It's annoying, I liked Borders the best of all the bookstores. Now we only have Waterstones as the big chain and they don't have half the selection that Borders did. IMO it's sites like Amazon that are causing the decline. It's much easier to just buy a book online than order it through a shop. I try to support local shops as much as possible for general stuff but when I want something specialised I have to buy online!

Personally I think publishers should scrap hardback releases. A hb is expensive and publishers still maintain it's the biggest way to recoup outlay, but trends have shifted so much in recent years that it makes no sense to keep producing hbs. And those outsize paperbacks are just as annoying. Release a book in pb at mass market level and have done with it. Costs go down, easier to pulp on returns, etc.

Publishers have got to be sensible about their e-book pricing, too. I saw a book today that cost £49.50 for the ebook and the hb cost £38. WTF! In the UK most bricks and mortar publishers price their ebooks at twice the cost of a paperback. No wonder ebook piracy is such a problem.

It's not a good situation. So many of our libraries are closing. The village library only opens half the week. It's just depressing.

[karadin.livejournal.com]

Our bookshop Hungry Mind (now closed) was able to draw the most interesting authors in for events, and all genres, including the then fledgling graphic novel.

I agree with you on the ease of ebooks and the ridiculousness of the pricing - and for hardcovers, yes, they are expensive, and the large paperbacks are stupid (I just had to return one, you do not print the Complete Sherlock Holmes of over 1,000 pages and put it in a binding that would not really cover 300.)

But publishing itself is a crazy business, what other business would take back product it doesn't sell?

[ashkitty.livejournal.com]

The crazier the music people get, the less and less I want to trust books to electronic sources (even though all my published stuff is e-format, but they're small niche publishers and I trust them). But nothing does it for me like real books, anyway--holding a real book, being able to stuff it in your pocket and carry it anywhere without having to worry about batteries or net service or anything, just having it. That's awesome.

[karadin.livejournal.com]

Yes Yes Yes.

[ani-mama.livejournal.com]

Our local Borders is not on the list of store closures...yet. *crosses fingers*

I like the convenience of Ebooks, but there is nothing quite like the feel of a real book. I guess we are just old school.

[karadin.livejournal.com]

*fist bump* no school like the old school.

[irisangel.livejournal.com]

My local Border's, that I go to almost every day after work, is closing. Considering it's become my place to unwind, I'm upset about it.

[karadin.livejournal.com]

Ah, well, I hope at least they have a sale!

[hideincarnate.livejournal.com]

That's really disappointing. I feel like book stores shouldn't close, even if the economy sucks or e-books are popular. I love real books, and Borders - though sometimes pricey - is a really nice chain of stores.

But when amazon.com sells the books for cheaper, and you get free shipping at $25.00...it's easier to buy the books online and then just recycle the packaging. =/