On this issue of indie bookstores closing and the contribution of e-books toward their demise, I wonder if it's occurred to the independents to collaborate--make a joint effort to offer e-book services like the big box stores. Cooperation on this might give them a fighting chance to compete even a little. Such an effort could be spearheaded by a couple of the bigger indies like Powell's Books and Tattered Cover. I know it would require a monumental bit of coordination and cooperation to get the smaller players on board, but if these people want their businesses to survive, they need to adjust to the times. Just sayin' . . .
And, while I'm at it, I should add that print books are probably not going away completely. I realize this is an imperfect analogy, but vinyl records have become increasingly popular lately (despite the greater popularity and availability of cheap music downloads), for reasons having to do with the quality of the listening experience, cover art, collectibility, etc. Sound familiar? It should.
Best,
Debbi
Debbi Mack
IDENTITY CRISIS
Published by Lulu http://www.lulu.com/content/3923913
Available as an e-book on Amazon, Scribd and Smashwords
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