The news of Borders Books’ bankruptcy filing saddened me. Are book stores going the way of the dinosaur? True enough, at least some of Borders’ problems appear to have been self-generated, but there’s no doubt that ebooks have had their effect on the publishing industry. I confess to being a Luddite; I love the feel of a book in my hand. My first paying job was in a library, where I handled books countless times during the course of a day. Independent booksellers and libraries especially need our support if they are to remain open in the face of residing demand for electronic manifestations of the written word. There’s something soothing about quietly wandering through row after row of book shelves. Speak to me, I say. Which one of you will draw my interest? One can’t experience that from a download.
I’m not anti-ebook reader, especially if ebooks encourage kids to read. I just love curling up on the couch with a good book, turning each page in excited anticipation of what’s to come. But that’s just me.
