As some of you may have heard, Borders is once again in trouble. According to this WSJ article, unless a miracle happens it’s likely that a group of liquidators will purchase Borders at auction on Tuesday and Borders will go out of business for good. Hell, even if a miracle happens it’s only likely to be a temporary solution, keeping Borders alive for another year or two. So here is my thoughts and rants… I’m warning you, I’m pissed.
Borders is my favorite bookstore. It has an awesome membership program, and a good selection. My older sis Heather and I often go there to hang out and drink coffee and buy books. In fact, it’s the first place I go to when a new book comes out that I want. So I cannot even articulate how much it’s depressing me that by the end of the week, the approx. 400 Borders stores left might be closing.
Now, if Barnes and Noble were closing I would be bummed, because the loss of a bookstore is always a tragic thing. It would mean that there would be NO more bookstores in any of the malls in my area. But Barnes and Noble has been really lacking to me lately – their customer service isn’t great, their coupons aren’t very good, their membership program sucks. And all they do now is focus on the stupid Nook.
And yes, I’m blaming the closing of Borders for the most part on e-readers. Seems to me that once Borders closes, all other major chain bookstores are next in line. I can so easily see the only bookstores being left in my area only being small, used ones. And eventually not even those existing, and I’ll have to hoard all the real print books that I can because they won’t even be made anymore. I HATE the stupid digital age.
I understand that some of you think that’s extreme, but I don’t think so. After all, 4 years ago when the Kindle came out, I said that I thought it would put bookstores out of business. And here we are – Borders is likely closing. Barnes and Noble is still around mainly because they’ve thrown all their weight behind the damn Nook. But if the Nook is what’s saving it right now, then I’m sure the company will realize that B&N can exist completely online and start closing some of it’s stores.
I don’t understand the public’s obsession with e-readers. Were real books actually SO inconvenient to you that you had to purchase a $100-$300 device to download digital books instead? Even ignoring the large cost of the actual e-reader device, e-books aren’t really cheaper. A mass market book that’s normally $7.99 is still $7.99 on the Kindle, from what I’ve seen. Trades and hardcovers might be slightly cheaper, but printing a coupon and going to a real bookstore would save you even more money. Yes, you can buy a couple books for only 99 cents. You could also not be lazy and go to a used bookstore or sale and find used books for 99 cents. And for gods’ sake, if you bought a print book it would actually be YOURS. You could literally hold it in your hand, and say “This is mine, and only fire or flood could take it away from me.” Despite the various promises that these companies make about the e-books being yours, there’s nothing stopping them from changing their minds and deleting them. Or their systems could crash. Or your computer could crash. Your e-reader could break and your warranty has expired and you need to buy a whole new stupid e-reader. Or a freaking solar flare could put ALL technology out of commission, and you wouldn’t have access to your precious e-books anymore. My only regret in that case is that I wouldn’t be able to go online and say “HAHA! I still have all my books!”
I understand that some e-reader owners love being able to download a book, right away. But you could also get in the car and drive to your local bookstore or library, right away. And when has it been proven that what’s faster/easier is better? Drive-through fast food places should have squashed that notion ages ago.
I just don’t get it. I’ve seen a TON of people say that while they prefer print books, they like their e-readers too. Well, I think it’s time that you picked a side and stuck to it. But unfortunately, so many people are obsessed with their gadgets that it’s likely real bookstores and eventually real books will become extinct. Again, is that so far-fetched? After all, it’s been talked about for ages that newspapers are pretty much dying because everyone uses the internet. Why should it be any different for books?
So there, I’ve finally said it. E-readers SUCK. E-books SUCK. I’ve said it before in much nicer terms, because I didn’t want to alienate any of my readers. But it’s my blog, and I’m speaking my mind. And I am pissed off. If you love your e-reader that much, fine. If you don’t want to read my blog anymore because I’ve offended your e-reading sensibilities, cool. I’m sick of holding back my disgust with the whole e-reading movement.
In the meantime, I’m probably going to go on crazy book buying splurges, trying to collect as many good books as I can before publishers decide it’s just not worth printing real books anymore. And before bookstores shut their doors forever. And authors, I am refusing to read your book if it’s only available in e-book format. I’ve recently made exceptions and read cheap e-books by my fave authors on my computer because they weren’t available any other way. Not doing that anymore. If you want real readers, print real books. I get that you want to keep up with the times, but think long and hard about the history and importance of the printed word in our society.
Borders, if you’re closing for good, I’m seriously going to miss you. I’ve tried showing my support lately by buying books at your store, and by being a Borders Rewards Plus member. I’ve given away Borders gift cards here before. And if you’re not closing soon, seems like you’ll be closing later.
It's awful that Borders is closing! Even though I've never been there before (and I wish I had been, cause the stores sound amazing), I still think it's a loss when bookstores close.I can understand your frustration with e-readers. I do own one myself and mainly use it to read the egalleys I get from Simon & Schuster and NetGalley on it, I have actually yet to purchase a digital book. Cause like you said: I prefer to have my books on my shelf. BUT my e-reader is very convenient. Mainly because the bookstores here don't carry all the books I want to read (sucks to be in Holland when all the good books come out in the US) or they come here about 6-12 months later. So I order from the Book Depository because anywhere else the shipping costs are more expensive than the books. But then it takes 3-4 weeks to get here. E-books would be instant gratification and I've seriously considered buying them, but never actually done it.Oh and I don't feel alienated for loving my e-reader (I haven't named it yet, but maybe soon).But I've been rambling long enough I think.
I reeeeally don't think it's e-readers that're doing it. Everyone I know who has an e-reader (including myself) still buys print books. It's much, much more the competitive online pricing. I tend to use Borders or B&N as a catalog. I take pictures of the covers I might want to buy later, because I know I can get them cheaper online. Even my mom does this, and she doesn't have an e-mail address.-Alice
Thanks Daisy
Alice, I agree that the online world has had an adverse effect on real-life bookstores as well, but I don't think the effect has been as huge. After all, Amazon has been around since 1995. That's 10 years that online shopping was around before the Kindle, and we didn't see so many bookstores in such a crisis. And Borders & Barnes & Noble have decent online bookstores with comparable shipping prices. Also, if you can get online to order books, then you can surely get online to get the coupon and go to the bookstore. Probably paying less that way, and supporting real-life bookstores AND their employees all in one swoop.But you make a decent point, so maybe I'll start boycotting Amazon as well. I purchase from them occassionally because they're still real print books, but why not just boycott them outright and spend ALL my money in real bookstores?
I totally understand your frustration with this. I hate it when books are only available in e-format, and that was why I started thinking about getting an e- reader. However, I see your point – why would we, the readers, adapt an start reading e-books, perhaps we should try to change things by boycotting e-books, persuading the authors and publishers to publish print books. Maybe we can succeed if we join forces. As for buying online, I live in Slovenia and there just isn't any other way to get the good books than order them from Amazon or Book Depository. But I still buy books in my local bookstore if they get here, so I know how I'd feel if it closed.
I'm pretty sure that the biggest reason Borders failed is bad business practices, poor branding and lack of internet sales. And while I loved the local Borders when I lived in Oklahoma (and right now it's one of the few left standing), I really disliked the local one here in Virginia. Although I do believe that e-books are going to continue to change the way books are bought and sold, I just don't agree that it's necessarily a bad thing. I own hundreds of print books, and despite owning both a Kindle and a Nook (although the Nook is mainly used as a tablet), I still buy tons of hardcover and paperback books. The e-books simply give me the convenience of not burying my apartment in mounds of books, and I like that I can easily carry my ereader everywhere and read anytime I want to- it's far less cumbersome to read the latest Stephen King or Chelsea Cain in line at the movie theater when its an ebook format than in hardback. Maybe that makes me lazy, or maybe it allows me to spend as much of my time reading as I choose. And Borders sold the Kobo ereader, so following your logic, Borders killed themselves.
Thanks Pepca. As for buying online, I don't have a big issue with it. My main deal is print books vs. e-books, which is why I still considered myself a consumer for Amazon. As long as we can buy print books online, cool.Hi Kate. Maybe some Borders did have bad business practices, but like I've said I've personally had way worse experiences at B&N than Borders, and Borders' membership program is far superior. Other than that, their prices are about the same. As for e-books changing the way books are bought and sold, I have to disagree. I think it's a very bad thing, if it means the eventual extinction of print books and real bookstores.Also, yes, Borders did start selling the Kobo as a last-ditch effort to compete with B&N and Amazon's e-readers. However, the Kobo wasn't actually developed by Borders – it's just something they started offering in their stores, like how they sell cd's and dvd's. I do wish that instead of trying to jump on the e-reader craze, they had tried to save themselves by priding themselves on being all about traditional print books instead of e-books. Thanks for the discussion guys
Oh, Hon! I hear your pain. I far prefer print books. I far prefer owning my paper book. I don't know what to tell you. This has gotten bigger than any one entity. It is like an avalanche and I don't think anyone is going to be able to stop it! However, I am not a rich girl and my e-reader habit started for just that very reason. I mean how else can I get 25 indie books for $6.25? The temptation became too much for me. I would put a halt to the whole darn e thing if I could. 20/20 hindsight – right? You take care! Belle
Oh – and I wouldn't ever consider not reading your blog anymore. I respect your opinions and that's why I stop over. I'll always be doing that.
I do not have a Borders near me so think I have only been in one, once or twice. It is sad truly that we are losing another book store.
I know exactly how you feel! There was a Borders 5 minutes from my house, and when it closed, I felt like a lost a piece of my home. I grew up in that store, knew many of the employees by name, and it's where I did all of my book shopping. I really dislike Barnes and Noble. Their customer service is HORRIBLE!!!! I went in with my sister once because she needed A Tale of Two Cities for English. We looked around and couldn't find it in with fiction or the classics. When we asked the girl behind the counter, she stared at me like I was speaking Chinese! She then told me I was wrong when trying to tell her it was a classic and that it was probably a travel book. After that, I never set foot in a B&N again.And it is scary to think where the printed word is headed. I like the feel of holding a book, turning the page, seeing how many pages I've read and are left. I don't even want to think that there might be a day when there are no actual books left, only digital copies! Ahh!
Wow.Well I understand your frustration but I don't think it is all on Ereaders. Some people really prefer one store over another. I prefer B&N over Borders and never visit Borders. Also, Ereaders are really just that convenient and visiting a bookstore cannot be compared to visiting a bookstore. When I was growing up, the nearest bookstore was an hour away. So yes, having an Ereader would have made a huge difference for me. Now, I AM really that busy where I can't go to a bookstore. Between school, studying, and various jobs, I would rather be reading then traveling to a bookstore. I prefer print books but I also prefer to read.I think E-readers have made it easier to read and increase the amount of books that people are able to buy and read. But that's just my personal opinion.I understand your frustration, and I definitely wouldn't stop reading your blog over your honesty and very real feelings.
Firstly, I love your blog and j'adore you, so no worries there. Secondly, I am so sad that borders may be closing for good. I swear I will officially go into mourning. Borders closing would mean that I would have to drive 3 hours round trip to find a bookstore bigger than a shoebox. Said shoebox mostly sells toys and magazines. GAHHH!!! My library is lovely but it's fairly small and takes them awhile to acquire new titles. I don't mind buying physical books online, but as I told the bf, I don't want to change my house of worship.Finally, I use my ereader (not a mainstream one, I went totally basic) to read galleys mostly from netgalley, titles from self published authors only available in that format or titles from the library database my library doesn't have in circulation in print. I prefer physical books ALWAYS and that's only what I buy. I have never bought an ebook and only will if physical books disappear.Sorry for the long rant.
I live in a crappy town that didn't even have a book store to begin with. all my books come from either department stores like target or discount stores that have a limited range. if i really want a book they don't have i buy it online. don't those ereaders hurt your eyes? i read a book on my phone once and i had eye strain for like a whole week later.
I am terribly sad about Borders. I really hope they don't close. You know I love my Kindle, but I really love regular books too. I dislike B&N so much, that I am going to cry if that is the only local store to shop at.And I worry what this means for my children. Are print books going to be gone by the time they are my age? How sad!! The experience of going to a book store and looking around at all the beautiful books is so important to build a love of reading. Reading an illustrated children's book on a computer or e-reader is just not the same. I can't imagine a world without paper books.
Nothing can really compare to the experience of going into an actual bookstore and looking at the books. I haven't been to a Borders in YEARS since they closed the one in the Greece mall, but do still go to B&N. I will admit, I buy most of my books online through Amazon because it's a lot cheaper, especially the used ones. I do have a Kindle, but have only read two books on it in 7 months – it's just not like a real book to me. It's really depressing to see more bookstores closing.
I applaud you for speaking your mind.
I, too, am personally rebelling against the e-reading age… for as long as I possibly can of course. I like physical books, and I don't see them as a burden to carry, hold, obtain, or anything of the sort. Oh, and I don't much care for technology outside of internet and cell phones (not the smart kind, either lol). Seeing bookstores close makes me sad no matter the reason, but still, I'm with ya on e-books.
Bravo! Someone who agrees with me about e-books! Well, I guess I should say–if someone bought me a Nook, I’d probably use it sparingly, but until someone decides to fork out that cash for me, I will no way buy an e-reader. I feel like a lot of its appeal is due to the laziness that is taking over our society. People are too “busy” to actually drive to a bookstore or heaven forbid, have to carry around a book that might weigh a pound or two in the same way that people are so “busy” that many no longer spend time cooking a wholesome meal and instead opt for Mickey D’s. At the same time, I guess I do get that it’s an “easy” way to have hundreds of books on hand, and I suppose for someone who travels a lot, an e-reader would make sense.
As far as the price issue goes, I don’t buy any of my books online. If there’s something that I desperately need to have but don’t want to pay full price for, I’ll go to a used bookstore. Most of the time, though, I have no problem paying full price to support my favorite authors. And I know my library is super blessed in comparison to some others out there, but I also buy a lot of my books from our used book sales that we have twice a year, so then my library is supported, as well.
Anyhow–you go, girl! Way to have an opinion on this and not be wishy-washy like so many out there!