#bookstores

[lulu-spooks]

Shout out to this bookshop I found in Brighton. It was borderline collapsing from the ceiling, there were boards taped everywhere, damp and mould in every corner and so many spiders I had to leave. Not a single thing was organised.

[therefugeofbooks]

bookstore and coffee date

[zinjanthropusboisei]

Oh I love this so much

[typhlonectes]

Independent bookstores around the country have a particularly clever lifeline, one perfectly suited to the unprecedented moment we find ourselves in. The strange part? It came into being just weeks before the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic, and before the bookstores started closing up shop wondering if they’d reopen at all.

The lifeline in question is called Bookshop. 

In simple terms, it’s a super clean, user-friendly online bookstore whose raison d’être is supporting independent bookstores — not simply with exposure or resources (though that’s certainly a factor), but with cold hard cash...

[fenrislorsrai]

Biblio.com. Shop there for used and out of print

It's all independent dealers. (many of whom also have their own websites). Biblio is independently owned and from very early on has also done carbon neutral shipping at no cost to customer. Plus they plow some money into BiblioWorks to build children's libraries in south america and STAFF THEM. Professional staff, so long as the library exists.

They also have round up donation option at checkout for a literacy program of some sort. It rotates who it is. They're based in Ashville NC, so when it flooded, they instantly flipped the round up option to Beloved in Ashville to provide immediate cash assistance to recovery efforts.

If you want a new book, go through BookShop.Org and on the map you can either pick by location near you OR you can go into the filters and select one based on minority owned (several options) LGBTQ owned, disabled owned, or woman owned. When you buy books through their storefront (which has most in-print book, unless they were an Exclusive to a seller) they get a small commission.

(this is mine for my queer bookstore)

If you want audiobook versions of these, you can go with Libro.fm which function very similar to Audible.... but you get DRM free downloads. And if you go through a bookstore's page when you signup or buy stuff, like Bookshop, they get a small commission. (Link to my Libro.fm)

For BookShop and Libro.fm, that gives you the option to support independent stores even if you don't have any near you.

Okay, now back to libraries! because despite owning a bookstore I ALSO use the library. If your local library doesn't have the things you want, you can often get it through interlibrary loan. It will then come from another library in its network.

Most importantly, it's marked as a checkout for BOTH libraries, your home library and the sender. And that circulation helps determine both how much the library budget is AND what the library buys because of demand. If you home library doesn't have X book, but ten people have requested it from other library, they may well buy the home library a copy because there's clear high demand.

Many libraries may also option via ebook resources to request they purchase something. This isn't a guarantee, but if they get a deluge of requests for specific title, it gets their attention.

To everyone in red states where book bans are likely to take place soon, here’s some lists for you <3

As a history student going into library science, people way under hype how crazy book banning is

Multiple lists of books already banned in schools/libraries or ones that likely will be:

Banned Books Week 2024: 100 of the Most Challenged Books

Banned Book List

Colorado Banned Book List

The Complete List of Banned & Challenged Books by State

Banned Books from the University of Pennsylvia Online Books Page

Top 10 Most Challenged Books in 2023

PEN America Index Of School Book Bans – 2023-2024

Challenged and Banned Books

Places to order books other than Amazon:

Internet Archive (free)

Libby (free with library card)

Thrift Books

Book Outlet

BookBub

Abe Books

Half Price Books

Barnes & Noble

Better World Books

PangoBooks

Book Finder

Goodwillbooks

Alibris

Places to support that fight against book banning:

American Library Association

Unite Against Banned Books

National Coalition Against Censorship

PEN America

There’s a reason politicians fight so hard to limit knowledge and it should scare you.

Some recs below based on reviews I’ve seen

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sing by Maya Angelou

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson

Melissa by Alex Gino

Looking for Alaska by John Green

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

All Boys Aren't Blue by George Matthew Johnson

[harrowfuckinghark]

hey gang, just so you know, half price on all hardcovers at Barnes and Noble 26 and 27th of December. Yes that includes special edition classics, that includes dnd books, that includes new hardcovers, that includes signed books, this includes cookbooks, and I’m pretty sure it includes kids picture books. Save money on books!

-with love, your local broke barnes and noble employee

[lowcountry-gothic]

Scene study#7, by Thomas Ngan.

[p-assionateheart]

[fangtastic-vampyra]

buying books & reading books..two different hobbies.

[lone-nyctophile]

[somerabbitholes]

i found the nicest bookstore tucked under a building at assi ghat in varanasi

[ariasmontage]

love these windows

[charliejaneanders]

Just FYI… Folio Books (where you've been able to order signed copies of my books, and they ship all over the USA) is going out of business at the end of Feb. :(

I'm heartbroken.

But if you want to get a signed/personalized book by me from Folio, the last day to do so is Feb. 16.

[yorgunluklara]

"yitirmiş tılsımını ilk sevmelerin, yitirmiş öpücükleri, payı yok, apansız inen akşamdan, bir kadeh, bir cigara, dalıp gidene, seni anlatabilsem seni..."

[alicewhitesblog]

[facts-i-just-made-up]

A few months ago, an electrician came to my house to fix a faulty light switch. I figured it was best to have a professional check it just in case. The switch was a simple replacement but I mentioned how if it were a fire hazard or expensive repair, I wanted to have someone around who knew their stuff better than I did, at least.

He was a kind old fellow who took the time to explain what was wrong and also to show me how to recognize whether it was dangerous, which stuff to check and all. Really good guy, asked what I did and I told him about the books and blog and stuff, but forgot to mention the art stuff I did too.

A week later I ran into him at a bookstore. He was getting a pile of books on painting, drawing, etc. I asked if he was going into art stuff and he explained that he'd always wanted to but never had time. Finally at the age of 78 (I'd have guessed 60 but when he said it his wrinkles seemed to deepen as if to confirm), he was retiring and wanted to try. I mentioned that I did a lot of art stuff and would be happy to share anything I knew. He said he'd take me up on it if he had any questions, he'd write me here on the blog.

Months passed and I forgot about him, mostly. I never did get a message but I wished him well when he came to mind, whenever I hit that switch for my porch light. This morning at the same store, I ran into him again. He asked why I hadn't replied. I apologized, and explained that I hadn't seen it. He said he had sent it to my art blog, which didn't have notifications on. I hadn't told him about that blog at all, but he found it linked from my writing blog and asked there.

I promised to check it the moment I got home. He didn't mind, just grinned and said it was no hurry, he had his retirement to enjoy and whenever I got to his question it would be fine, nothing urgent. I apologized again and actually cancelled the rest of my errands so I could get home and reply immediately. I felt really bad.

I got home and opened my art blog and there it was, a single anonymous question from an old man who didn't have an account. Here is what he'd sent:

Yes it can, Mr. Alvarez. It can indeed.