Hi! I’m the owner of the little used bookstore on Utica Street in Oswego. It was so nice to hear of someone not of my generation that grieves the same way I do over the loss of many physical books. Although I think there will still be people who love paper and ink, and the feel thereof, I know that the reality is that the world of publishing is changing. On some levels, this is a good thing: less trees to pulverize. On another level, digital books dump more toxic chemicals into the soils of the third world, and potentially harm human bodies, which haven’t evolved to constant light stimulation.

The thing is, just like LPs, there will always be someone who loves the feel of a book (or the distinct sounds vinyl recordings make). But they will be few and my world will change.

Maybe you could do an article on who is still into books, vinyl, and the world of browsing. I know that there are people who love my place as much as I do just because of the ‘hunting and gathering’ factor that you were sort of talking about with Borders. You didn’t know that you wanted it until you saw it (my thinking, anyway).

Thanks for the article. It was sort of heartening in a disheartening world. But then, if the US elected officials don’t get their act together and protect our jobs, it wouldn’t matter anyway. Who will have the money to buy a kindle, no matter how inexpensive, let alone a $2.99 used paperback!