In all of the attention given to Amazon and its fights with various companies, ebooks and their digital benefits, publishing and the revolution of indies, it’s easy to forget to take notice of some of the most important and dynamic players in the industry: the local bookstores.
These bookshops, mostly independently owned as a labor of love and not a retirement investment, are often single-handedly fighting the war against lack of book access, barriers to publication, and the breakdown of communities. Whether it’s through local author events, story hours for children, summer reading incentives, publishing how-to classes, or even just being that source of regional history and community awareness, bookstores are vital to the overall health of our communities.
And May 2nd is the day to show your appreciation!
Ideally, you’re shopping in indie bookstores throughout the year, not just one commemorative day, but it’s fun to think of May 2nd–Independent Bookstore Day–as the Black Friday of books and booksellers, the day when the traffic to their stores can let them rest a little easier financially, at least for the rest of the month. And never fear if you’ve become a die-hard digital fan since the day your first Kindle arrived…many indie bookstores have affiliate agreements to sell ebooks and e-readers, as well as ways you can take advantage of other in-store offers.
This event was actually begun last year in California, and focused on the shops in that state. The rousing success, though, has led to a nationwide movement to celebrate all the good that indie bookstores do. Booksellers have been able to order specially priced editions to sell in their shops tomorrow, and publishers were invited to put together unique items from their stables of authors to show customers how important they are to the process.
For a look at some specific stores and the events and offers they’ll host, click HERE.
Mercy Pilkington is a Senior Editor for Good e-Reader. She is also the CEO and founder of a hybrid publishing and consulting company.