After a lengthy series of tremblings, death tolls, and other harbingers, Borders has finally succumbed to the same fate that it dealt Waldenbooks years ago. Ten years ago, the closing of a bookselling giant would have meant a significant void for avid readers, but now Borders demise is simply a small, but inevitable footnote in the disappearance of books.
The popularity of Ebooks has been blamed for Borders death, but I disagree (I hate e-readers). E-reading's growth trend resulted from the isolation of the dedicated book reader. The overwhelming unpopularity of books in bookstores is truly to blame. I've railed before about the cacophonous layout of Borders- its landscape littered with games, stationery, cds and, of course, the trademark in house cafe-Borders looked more like the Word Market from The Phantom Tollbooth than a proper bookstore.
For me, finding books was the trick.
Richard Nash has suggested, in his CNN Blog, that Borders could have maintained its profitability by being "...less of a retail experience...focused on selling stuff and more about an event, occasion, a vision..."*
He is, of course, referring to a transition of bookstores from being mere sellers to community resources presenting book discussions, enrichment classes, reading groups, and self-publishing resources; in short, a bookstore about all things BOOK.
I am old enough to recall the days of the traditional bookstore, when all that bookstores sold were books. The spectacled, soft-spoken clerk (who had worked there for years) knew the right book to recommend to anyone from 5-50. I agree that the time is certainly ripe for a new kind of bookstore. A bookstore that serves the needs of readers and not just blindly flings out merchandise and cappuccino at passersby.
Future bookstores, be they megastores, or small local undertakings, must become book experts as once they were. Holding frequent events, such as promoting local authors, will re-energize patrons by introducing new authors and works to the public, even those who don't consider themselves "readers". Hosting writing classes and having theme nights will make the literary experience feel accessible to all. Including the patron in book discussions that go beyond "Are you going to buy that?" will make book buyers understand what they are buying and how it actually contributes to the local good.
Books will survive without Borders, but in the future, we must be very careful about what borders are defining our books.
*Nash, Richard. (http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/07/21/nash.borders.books/index.html?iref=allsearch)
Although I've finally taken the step, a very long, yet eventful one of reading an eBook. I find that I truly miss the satisfaction of being able to simply turn a page, fold back is corners to bookmark, leave my own handwritten notes in the margins!
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