Category: Bookstore

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Support Small Bookshops

I have a new affiliate partner and I’m so proud if this one. BookShop is an online bookstore trying to financially support independent, local bookstores. For a long time I was an affiliate for Amazon but I am so happy to finally have another option when linking books I love. This is a way to give back to your local community. When you buy from Bookshop you can find and support a specific local bookstore which will receive the full profit or let your purchase’s profit go into a pool that will be evenly distributed among independent bookstores. Right now this is my shop which is still a work in progress since I plan to add links to some more of my favorite books.

Another great option is Libro.fm for Audiobooks. I am not an affiliate for this company but it is another great site making it possible to buy audiobooks through your local bookshop. It is the same price as Audible (owned by Amazon) but proceeds from audiobooks purchased through Libro.fm are shared with your local bookstore.

Don’t feel you have to buy books. I am still a strong supporter of the library. The library is still a great way to save money, support your local community, and favorite authors. Really, I just want to spread the word that there are other options to buying books than Amazon and this one can strengthen your local community.

Story from a Bookstore Employee 2

A man was using a store stool to reach the top shelf of the magazine section.

Me: “Excuse me sir, but you can not use the stool.”

Customer: *Stays on stool looking at magazines* “Why?”

Me: “It’s a safety issue. You could hurt yourself”

Customer: *Still on stool.* “Well, I can’t reach the top shelf of the magazines. I don’t understand how am I to reach them.” *Starts getting really huffy*

Me: “I can get any magazine you need but you can’t be on the stool. It does say on the stool for store use only. *I point to the sign on the stool* You will need to get down.”

Customer: *Still on stool.* “You know what this is discrimination! You’re discriminating against me because I’m short!”

Customer, realizing I’m not going away, steps off the stool and he is taller than me. He was only a few inches taller than me but it was noticeable. This is also where he won’t directly look at me any longer. It took everything I had not to say to this man, “Oh, you’re taller than me!” At least he got off the stool so I tell him he can speak to a manager if he is still upset but he says no he doesn’t want a manager. I had to get away from him. He left soon after that buying the tall people magazines.

I don’t know how much longer I can work in retail.

 

Story From A Bookstore Employee

I work in a bookstore. An older man walks up to the information desk. I say “Hello” and he starts telling me a very long story. He had something that happen to him 40 or 50 years ago and he would like it publish. In fact, he has a lot of stories he would like to have publish. He doesn’t know where to start since, he says, he doesn’t write well. He was hoping to find a ghostwriter and would like to know how he can start in publishing his book. I tell him if he goes to the reference section in my store there is a subsection were he can find many titles to teach him how to go about finding a ghostwriter, agent, and publisher.
“I don’t want to read a book about it I just want to know how,” he says without skipping a beat.

We go through this exchange a few times in different ways. Always him telling me what he is looking to do and me telling him I don’t exactly know but there are many books on the subject to help in his search. If I say you probably need an agent or publisher to help you find a writer, he asks for an agents phone number as if I have one handy for these situations. I tell him I don’t have a number but there is a book published every year with a list of agents and publishers and their contact information. He says, “No, that’s not what I’m looking for,” and moves on to more questions about the process.

Around the third or fourth runaround I lose my patience and just say, “I don’t know I can’t help you” to his questions. He isn’t at the bookstore for a book and I can’t keep going though these repetitive motions trying to be “nice and helpful.” Maybe that’s mean but I only have so much tolerance in this situation. I gave you the information to start you on your path now do the work.