“Always read something that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.” -P.J. O’RourkeMarketplace Morning Report recently did a story about e-readers and how they impact the traditional bookstore. Host Jeremy Hobson interviewed Nancy Bass Wyden, owner of Strand, a bookstore in New York City.
When asked about her about e-readers, she replied:
“There’s really no opportunity for independent bookstores to aggressively go after the e-reader Nook. I think Amazon and Barnes & Noble just really have all of the market; anything that’s left for us through Google Books seems to be crumbs. But that’s not really our gig.”
But I want it to be their gig!
I would love to take my Kindle into a local bookstore, chat with an employee about the latest book I enjoyed, get recommendations, and then purchase an e-book right from the store. I would much prefer to support a local, small proprietor than Amazon or Barnes & Noble, but I’m not interested in purchasing paper books anymore. Unlike Bass Wyden, I enjoy being tethered to my electronic device.