MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - I miss browsing libraries and book stores

Thasaidon · 03-30-2018, 08:03 AM

[QUOTE=darryl;3676328]A good point Harry, which I suspect is only going to get worse as more bookstores close. Those who are in this position through bookstore closures have my sympathy.[/QUOTE

When I moved to the Philippines a couple of years ago things were deteriorating badly in the UK.

In Doncaster where I lived we used to have five bookshops selling new books and seven or eight who only sold second hand books. When I left the only shop selling new books was W.H.Smiths, which also sells newspaper, magazines, toys, CDs, DVDs and stationary. Books although a major line was only one of many. The secondhand bookshops are down to two paperback exchanges and are barely hanging on due to ever increasing rents.

Things are nearly as bad with public libraries. Local Government has cut funding regularly over the years until we do not even have a skeleton service but are down to the marrow. My old local branch library, like many others has only been kept open because local people are doing for free the jobs that paid librarians used to be employed to do. This is despite the heavy usage the library gets. Many others have been closed or have had their opening hours greatly reduced. How long the before the Local council cuts off all funding is anyone's guess.

So I was in much the same situation as HarryT.

Fortunately ebooks came along and saved the day.

But I do miss browsing secondhand bookshops and my old branch library in Sheffield. Occasionally I would come across a very interesting book I would never have thought would have interested me . Then there is the smell and feel of the books and the conversations with booksellers.

In the Philippines where I currently live books are expensive and even second hand copies sell for nearly the cover price. If you can find a (rare) second hand book shop. But I can tell you they are usually crowded.

03-30-2018, 08:03 AM	#81
Thasaidon Hedge Wizard Posts: 802 Karma: 19999999 Join Date: May 2011 Location: UK/Philippines Device: Kobo Touch, Nook Simple	[QUOTE=darryl;3676328]A good point Harry, which I suspect is only going to get worse as more bookstores close. Those who are in this position through bookstore closures have my sympathy.[/QUOTE When I moved to the Philippines a couple of years ago things were deteriorating badly in the UK. In Doncaster where I lived we used to have five bookshops selling new books and seven or eight who only sold second hand books. When I left the only shop selling new books was W.H.Smiths, which also sells newspaper, magazines, toys, CDs, DVDs and stationary. Books although a major line was only one of many. The secondhand bookshops are down to two paperback exchanges and are barely hanging on due to ever increasing rents. Things are nearly as bad with public libraries. Local Government has cut funding regularly over the years until we do not even have a skeleton service but are down to the marrow. My old local branch library, like many others has only been kept open because local people are doing for free the jobs that paid librarians used to be employed to do. This is despite the heavy usage the library gets. Many others have been closed or have had their opening hours greatly reduced. How long the before the Local council cuts off all funding is anyone's guess. So I was in much the same situation as HarryT. Fortunately ebooks came along and saved the day. But I do miss browsing secondhand bookshops and my old branch library in Sheffield. Occasionally I would come across a very interesting book I would never have thought would have interested me . Then there is the smell and feel of the books and the conversations with booksellers. In the Philippines where I currently live books are expensive and even second hand copies sell for nearly the cover price. If you can find a (rare) second hand book shop. But I can tell you they are usually crowded. Last edited by Thasaidon; 03-30-2018 at 08:06 AM. Reason: Corrected grammar.