Once, independent bookstores were forced to close their doors by larger commercial companies such as Barnes & Noble and Borders Books. Now, large book stores are also disappearing, as literary interest migrates from the shelves to the screen. As eBooks become more and more common, bookstores are struggling to keep up with an increasingly digital market.
According to Open Education Database, the number of bookstores dropped from 12,363 to 10,800 in 2012, a 12.2 percent decline. As of 2011, eBooks captured $3.2 billion from the book industry and are estimated to grow to nearly $10 billion in 2016.
“I think that it’s sad that the digital age is taking over in libraries and bookstores, because now that technology is taking over, books are slowly disappearing,” Convent of the Sacred Heart junior Isabella von Habsburg said.
eBooks offer readers an easier and more efficient way to read. Many companies are struggling to maintain the domain of paperback and hardcover books.
Despite the growth of this new digital age, many Sacred Heart students and facility members are sad to see bookstores disappear.
“It’s very sad that so many bookstores are closing,” Upper School Librarian Assistant Mrs. Kate Hanna said. “I just love the smell and feel of a book. In short, I think the digital age is wonderful, as long as it is treated with respect. There is a time and place.”
However, unlike Isabella and Mrs. Hanna, there are some students and faculty members who are choosing to embrace this new age.
“eBooks allow me to read during vacations without the hassle of carrying extra items around,” sophomore Emma Church said. “Since I have eBooks on my phone, it makes reading easier and more enjoyable for busy teens.”
According to an article in The Wall Street Journal, Barnes & Noble plans on closing as many as one-third of its bookstores in the next ten years. They will decrease from 1,363, as of January 23, to 450-500 stores.
– Jessica Johnson, Staff Writer