Yet another reason to “buy local, buy independent”.
This short essay on LitHub, found via the Rediscovered Books newsletter (do sign up, especially if you’re in the area).
They aren’t a replacement for public libraries, but their role is just as essential. Bookstores function as what sociologist Ray Oldenburg famously termed “third places”: locations outside of home and work where people can gather and connect. The bookstore isn’t just a place to buy books, although that’s of course part of it. It’s also a place to meet others, foster conversation, and strengthen neighborhood ties.
Read on: A Refuge From Censorship: Why Independent Bookstores Will Save Us
heading image from the article on LitHub
