People who read the books at Barnes and Noble like it is a library will not have access to the ark.
I love books. I have purchased and kept every book I have read as an adult except for one novel by Sir Walter Raleigh (which I could not get through) and a couple of career related books that I took out of the library on subjects I don’t feel the need to host on my shelves. I spend a lot of time (and money) on books and I know that I am unusual in that respect. Many writers are. I don’t want the Kindle or the Nook or any other computerized book system because I want to own the physical publication. I have them all on bookshelves throughout my house. That said, to all of you lounging around at the bookstore reading books you don’t own, for God sakes GO TO THE LIBRARY!
There is a difference between a bookstore and a library. One is a public service and one is a moneymaking venture. If you are unsure of the difference, please click on the links above. It is one thing to leaf through the pages of a novel quickly, scanning the first chapter and occasional subsequent pages to see if you like the writing style and are drawn in by the beginning of the story, judging the book by its cover and a little more to determine whether you want to purchase it. It is quite another to plant yourself in an oversized comfy chair with your cup of coffee, put on your glasses and read the book for an hour or so. That is not perusing; that is stealing.
Perhaps it doesn’t seem like a big deal to you. Perhaps dog-earing the pages of a book that can no longer be sold doesn’t bother your conscience. I suppose you feel that copyrights, royalties, and other pesky laws probably don’t apply to you. But they do. So if you can’t afford the $7.99 or (I understand books can be expensive) the $25.99 for the book in your hand, put it down, step away from the bookstore, and slowly reach for your keys. Once you have exited the building, drive to your nearest library where you are welcome to curl up with one of their books. They’ll even let you take it home at no cost to you as long as you promise to bring it back when you are done. You can manage that courtesy can’t you? If not, we’ll tackle that subject on another day.
OMG! I just ran into that today when I was up at the mall, and stopped in to get a book. A couple of the ones I picked up were SO WORN.
ReplyDeleteGranted, they were graphic novels, which are notorious to falling victims to teenagers and younger kids with no money. But still, one of them I really wanted, but put back because I refused to spend $10.00 on a book that looked someone with little chocolate fingers had gotten ahold of it first.
Makes me CRAZY!
So true!!
ReplyDeleteWho takes the hit on a book that is worn on the shelves, the author, the publisher, or the book seller? I don't really know, but I suspect that it is the bookseller, in which case it is their own fault for providing comfy chairs, warm beverages and an environment that is conducive to reading... I'm just saying. If they are luring consumers in with a cozy, inviting amosphere, they must assume that collateral damage is part of that cost of business, I would think.
ReplyDeleteFiorella,
ReplyDeletePossibly true and it makes some sense, but I can't tell you how many times I have gone to buy a book and there is only one copy left and it is in less than brand new condition. If I want the book, I have to take that copy or wait and order it which isn't always convenient. I just don't know why I should have to suffer because someone else feels entitled to use a bookstore as a library.
Also, perhaps the cafe is meant to be conducive to those of us who go there to write or work, or even to read because there are distractions at home such as small children. Perhaps the intent is that once you BUY the book they welcome you to sit and enjoy it there if you would like. Just a thought.
It puts me in mind of people who argue that hotels expect you to take the bathrobes. They account for a certain amount of patrons taking them and probably charge a little more to the rest of us to cover the loss, but it doesn't mean that because they expect it, they condone it.
Finally, just because you can doesn't mean you should. That could be my book you are reading, go buy your own.
Perhaps the issue is not that people are opening and sampling the books, but that they are being too rough with them? And if a book is really in that bad of shape, is it possible that it was bought and returned? I think of a particular day when I went to the store with a list of four books recommended to me, I found them all, sat down and browsed each one, selected my favorite and purchased it. I left the other three behind, but am certain that there was no sign of them having been previously read.
ReplyDeleteWell as you saw in my original post, I have no problem with the behavior you described.
ReplyDelete"It is one thing to leaf through the pages of a novel quickly, scanning the first chapter and occasional subsequent pages to see if you like the writing style and are drawn in by the beginning of the story, judging the book by its cover and a little more to determine whether you want to purchase it. It is quite another to plant yourself in an oversized comfy chair with your cup of coffee, put on your glasses and read the book for an hour or so. That is not perusing; that is stealing."
If you buy the book there is not a problem. If you read a book for a full hour and then don't buy it and come back and read it again to finish it, then we have a problem.