Bookselling In A Time Of Coronavirus
- by Susan Halas
Bookshops in the News - Pandemic Edition:
Whether bricks and mortar shop or online operation, booksellers commanded their share of media attention recently as, like other small businesses, they struggled to stay afloat in difficult times. Many of these stories reflect a surprising level of optimism coupled with an urgent need for cash.
San Francisco: City Lights
City Lights, the iconic San Francisco North Beach landmark, long associated with the Beats and for many years publishers of a popular poetry series, is in need of instant cash infusion.
Presto-Chango! An online fundraising campaign just raised over $400k to ward off closing, the bulk of that money received in contributions of under $100. (clapping emoji)
Nashville
The Guardian reports how Parnassus Books in Nashville run by novelist Ann Patchett is weathering the crisis.
Salt Lake City- Storytelling, discounts and curbside service
https://www.deseret.com/utah/2020/4/21/21222253/coronavirus-independent-bookstores-librarie
s-books-reading-quarantine-covid-19
Portland, Ore:
Powell’s struggles to survive reported by PBS
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/landmark-oregon-bookstore-strains-to-survive-the-pandemi
Newark, NJ:
Source of Knowledge in Newark was a vibrant part of the community before the coronavirus outbreak. It's one of two African American-owned bookstores left in the state. They got detailed coverage on NPR and they also have a GoFundMe page.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/save-source-of-knowledge
Colorado
www.atlasobscura.com/articles/boulder-book-delivery-coronavirus
BOOKSHOP.org launches as an aide to indies: Yet another player in the one stop shop for reading material. The launch of Bookshop.org covered by Time as a possible (distant) rival to Amazon and a new wrinkle in the strength in numbers concept.
https://time.com/5822767/coronavirus-bookstores-amazon/
SUPPORTING INDIES: Overview from “Entertainment,”
Lots of good ideas from surprise package to mutual assistance deals
https://ew.com/books/supporting-indie-bookstores-coronavirus-quarantine/
Boston To Berlin: Indie Bookstores Weather Corona Crisis Closures, Creatively Forbes posts an overview
LA area Book Dealers Scrambling to Stay Afloat https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/books/story/2020-03-17/across-la-booksellers-are-scrambling-to-stay-afloat-amid-coronavirus-concerns
BOOKSELLER BENEVOLENT FUND: any port in the storm, you don’t have to be an ABAA member to apply for help from the organizations benevolent fund. Contributions are also always welcome.