Amazon Isn’t Killing Indie Booksellers

Reports of the death of the small bookstore may have been, as Mark Twain might say, greatly exaggerated. On the Digital Reader, Nate Hoffelder reports that in the past nine months, the American Booksellers Association has added more than 70 new members. Independent bookstores are finding success by offering what Amazon cannot: community, personal interaction, and a welcoming environment. In addition, many booksellers have adapted to the Internet age by selling e-readers and print-on-demand books. John Evans, a co-owner of four indie bookstores in California, said, “For us who are in the trenches, it’s funny reading about how we’re disappearing when we’re really growing.”