Book by francesca seni

All Booked

Francesca Seni

All Booked

Francesca Seni

Dedication I leave this work to book lovers everywhere.

iiii

Acknowledgements This project has been one of the most difficult tasks I’ve ever undertaken, and I could not have done it without help from so many people. First and foremost I’d like to thank my mother for reading my paper several times to help me in my process of revisions. Secondly, I’d like to thank my English teacher, Mr. Greco, for all the conversations he had with me in order to aid me in organizing my ideas and drawing out new ones. I’d also like to thank all the members of the Books Inc. staff who were willing to be interviewed. They are all incredible people who gave me great information for my book. Lastly, I’d like to thank my Design and Digital Media teachers, Ms. Parkinson and Mr. Florendo respectively. They were always willing to answer my questions and sit down with me to fix any problems I faced during this project. I could not have done this without them.

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9 11

Preface Introduction

12

Books Inc. - A History

16

Bookstores Through the Ages

19

The Tales of Books Inc., The Beautiful

22

Fantastic Books and Where to Find Them

26

Notes

28

Works Cited

8

Preface I have never taken on a project this big before. Choosing something to document in my community was a very difficult decision to make. Afterall, I had to ensure I was passionate about my subject to keep motivated through the months of working on this project. I would credit my choice of documenting Books Inc. as my greatest success of the project. My love for books really drove me to work as hard as I could and present information on the independent bookstore to the best of my ability.

As content as I was with my choice topic, this project was still immensely difficult to complete. Finding interviewees was particularly difficult, as I had to work around the schedules of others. I had my first interview much later than some of my classmates, pushing me behind in my writing process. Luckily, the rest of my interviews followed in good time and I was able to catch up. With tons of research, I put my book together, and I’m incredibly proud of my final product. I’ve never worked so hard on a project before, and I’m so glad I was able to put so much dedication to my documentary. It was an immensely rewarding experience and I hope anyone who reads my book will be able to learn something new about independent bookstores and appreciate their existence.

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10

Introduction I

ndependent bookstores have had more than their fair share of battles. By the late 1990s giant chains like Borders and Barnes and Noble reached a peak using box store techniques1 and threatened the existence of indies. Even though most presumed chains would lead to the downfall of independent bookstores, before the chains could do so, the internet boomed and the conglomerate’s threat was greatly diminished. At this point though, the independent bookstore had a much greater problem.

For the first time ever, customers did not have to leave the comfort of their own home to purchase a book. Sales rapidly declined for bookstores, and most believed the worst. New technologies allowing for digital interactions with text were expected to send books out of business, just as they had done to records stores and video stores, and at every turn things got worse and worse.

Soon enough, customers abandoned the digital platform of ereaders and moved on to the next big thing: audiobooks. Despite these new gadgets and against all the odds, independent bookstores survived; more importantly, recent data suggests that they’ve begun to thrive.

Consider Books Inc., a local bookstore with multiple locations around Northern California. Books Inc. has a warm and welcoming environment that appeals to book lovers all around, but the store’s significance lies in things much more important than its aesthetics. Each location has a special relationship with its customers picking different books to sell in order to match the personality of the different neighborhoods. Rather than just selling best sellers, Books Inc. provides a specialized customer service displaying local authors and staff favorites. This strong connection that this indie is able to create demonstrates their understanding of the community’s various personalities and values. Furthermore, Books Inc. stores become an asset to the neighborhoods their in by providing a safe environment for conversation. Independent bookstores are intellectual centers where customers can find people with like minded interests or points of view that differ from their own. As a result, indies like Books Inc. often become a place that brings people together. This congregation allows Books Inc. to further develop their relationship with the community hosting author events, children’s story times, and other neighborhood gatherings. In short, Books Inc. is such a valued location for the personal relationships it develops with customers, its open and friendly environment, and its involvement in the community.

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Books Inc. A History 12

In 1849, Anton Roman crossed the United State’s Great Plains, en route to California, seeking riches beyond his imagination2.

The miner started hopeful, but soon grew weary of only finding dirt and not gold. He turned to his love of books for company.

Roman traveled from camp to camp selling books, and to his surprise, he had great success. He then decided to open his own bookstore in Shasta City3, but his prosperity had only just begun. Roman went on to open another shop in San Francisco and become a big publisher4.

1851

Lew Lenfield can be best classified as Alexander Mitchell Robertson, originally a businessman. He owned several different companies from bookstores to from Canada, moved to California in pharmacies6. After purchasing Books 1849 with his wife. He began working in the book industry in 1870 as an employee Inc. with Barbara Thompson, he ran the company for fifty years until he in a bookstore, but only seven years later passed away7. He left the company to a moved away to try his hand in various handful of people, but after his death, other occupations. None were much to Books Inc. had to file for Chapter his liking, as he returned to San Francisco 11 bankruptcy, a process that lets a in the year 1887 and partnered with a company reorganize without totally friend to create Pierson & Robertson, a closing, only two stores remained8. book firm. Two years after he co-founded 5 this company, he went solo in publishing .

1946

1882

1879

Pearson and Robertson’s buys Roman’s stock

Anton Roman combines with several partners

1891

1925

Harry Robertson sells stock and store to Leon Gelber and Ted 1924 Robertson passes Lilienthal away

13

Books Inc. opens store on California Street

Leon Gelber, born in Romania, lived a nice life with his wife in San Francisco by the year 19409.

Gelber partnered with Lilienthal in the year 1924 to establish the Gelber-Lilienthal Bookshop, and later the publishing company Lantern Press10. The two merged with Books Inc. in 1948.

Books Inc. opens store in the Marina

1976

1948

Books Inc. opens store at Stanford Shopping Center

1998

Books Inc. emerges from bankruptcy with four stores under the ownership of Michael Grant and Michael Tucker

1997

1957

1948

Ted Lilienthal was born a fourth generation San Franciscan11.

Much of his more notable work was outside the book industry, but he was still a major contributor to the history of Books Inc. His main enterprise with Gelber was their bookstore, but they also played a little in publishing12 until he left the company in 1950.

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1995

Lew Lenfeld passes away, the company files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, 13 of 15 stores close

Michael Grant had worked with Lew Lenfeld for twenty years before he was left the company. Of the five people people Lenfeld had left the company to, Grant was one of the only two who stayed. He and Michael Tucker got along well and helped bring up Books Inc. after it came out of Chapter 11 Bankruptcy. Unfortunately, Grant was unable to see much progress after, as he died of a heart attack in the year 2000.

Books Inc. opens store in SFO as Compass Books

2011

Books Inc. opens store in Alameda

2004

Books Inc. opens store in Opera Plaza

2006

2008

Books Inc. opens store in Town & Country Village

2001

Books Inc. opens store in Disneyland and Mountain View

2016

Books Inc. opens store in Santa Clara

15

Bookstores Through The Ages 16

H

umans have an undeniable desire to get there hands on literature; it’s an evident fact apparent throughout all of history.

Stories are the way we make sense of the world. Before writing, people would tell oral stories to share information. With the development of written language, humans began to write down their stories, but his method of communication did not really reach the masses until 144013. The invention of the printing press changed the world forever. Johannes Gutenberg’s machine allowed for a method to create literature with relative ease that would eventually lead to brick and mortar businesses.

Bookstores have since then changed, and while people’s attention deviated for several years drawn to new electronic

products, their focus has now been recentered on the independent bookstore model to fulfill their craving for stories. The building with books doesn’t merit a value by itself; rather, we humans choose to put value into it. While bookstores have changed quite a bit over the years, they’ve been around for long enough to prove that people enjoy their presence and fight to keep them around.

Lisbon, Portugal A geometric pattern of blue covers an otherwise sparkling white building. Inside await countless stories and adventures open to anyone willing to read them. The Livraria Bertrand is the oldest bookstore still functioning, more than 280 years old14. It’s success is a testament to the value humans put in literature.

Wheaton, Illinois

Charles M. Barnes decided to create a book business from his home in 1873. A generation later, his son moved to New York and with a partner created Barnes and Noble15. By 1971, the company’s name was in different hands. Leonard Riggio’s new business thrived, and the store on Fifth Avenue was “ The World’s Largest Bookstore”16. This success continued through the bookstore’s life, and by the early 1990’s, Barnes and Nobles was a notable superstore. In order to stay alive, most of its superstore ideas were converted into a digital platform.

Ann Arbor, Michigan

What would one day be the second-largest bookstore in chain opened in 197117. At first, its giant size and ongoing walls of books were the tribute to its success, but by the mid 90’s, size only made it harder for them to stay afloat. Borders survived for forty years before closing its doors in 201118. One of its most critical mistakes was missing the jump to the internet, something that took lots of sales away from physical books.

Seattle, Washington

Jeff Bezos launched a website creating an enterprise of selling books online. Although it started a few years before, the site went public in 1997 with huge success19. From 1995 to 2011 the company’s yearly sales jumped from $150,000 to $17 billion20. It all started with books, and the online shopping site continues to be one of the biggest threats to the survival of independent bookstores.

San Francisco, California

Books Inc.’s origin traces back to the year 185121. From there, the company has been handed down between well known colleagues and fought hard to survive. The little indie bookstore we know now used to have stores far and wide, but as 17

big chains and the digital age arose, it struggled to maintain its way of life. Despite these challenges, Books Inc. today is well loved by the communities it serves.

United States

The life of independent bookstores is not an easy one. In only five years, 1995 to 2000, the number of independent bookstores in the United States dropped by 43 percent22. This was mainly due to the surge in chain stores; the American Booksellers Association’s (ABA) data revealed that the numbers contributed by independent bookstores in the book market had a steady decline in 1995, while chain bookstores continued to grow23. The models of chain bookstores did not last for long though, and their massive sizes could not withstand the blow that internet shopping created. Online commerce only grew in size, coming up with new ways to experience literature. E-readers and audiobooks became formats in which readers began to experiment with, but as president of Books Inc. Michael Tucker reminded me, “...customers have been listening to books for decades, on vinyl, tape, and then on CD24”. The only difference now was that this audio format took up no physical space.

Audible, Amazon’s audiobook format, in particular was a game changer because no other company could have Audible.

Amazon alone had a large stake in the audiobook space, and even though other formats exist, such as Books Inc.’s Libro, most people looked no further than Amazon.

Even though new tech did hinder independent bookstore sales for some time, recent data suggests a surge in sales of physical books. While publishers experienced a thirty percent increase in profit from audiobooks in the first half of 2017, independent bookstores profits increased about 2.6 percent in the same year25. The recovery of indies is admittedly impressive, especially so when considering that their comeback began long before 2017. The ABA reported a thirtyfive percent growth in the number of booksellers between 2009 through 2015, the numbers surging from 1,651 stores to 2,22726. ABA, or American Booksellers Association, plays a major role in representing independent booksellers. It’s membership had reached an all time low in 2008, but over the next five years, their numbers jumped back up enrolling over four hundred new members27. These numbers speak volumes of people’s appreciation for literature since opening and running a bookstore is no easy task. After all, there are hundreds of things to consider including location, design, and financing. Deciding on a neighborhood can be tricky for new bookstores because while some places may have a greater need for the store, they may not be able to support it financially28. In addition to contemplating location, bookstores have to create a unique and friendly environment where people of all experiences feel comfortable coming in. But both those things are assessed once it can be assumed that the store can economically survive. Consider that bookstores do not have much flexibility with the prices of their books since they are mostly priced by publishers. Moreover, indies have to pay a rent while selling products that don’t get as much attention as technology or clothing stores. For the Bay Area in particular, Michael Tucker explained that, “landlords really have to [want] a bookstore, and [know] that you’re going to be under market29”. In sum, the decision to run an independent bookstore is a risky one since there are so many factors to your success that really depend on luck. These factors that can lead to potential failure tend to divert people’s attention to bookselling making the new numbers the ABA reports even more impressive.

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The Tales of Books Inc., The Beautiful 19

S

o how is it that, after years of decline, bookstores are finally on the rise?

Perhaps it’s the quiet and cozy atmosphere that draws people in. Or maybe because it’s the perfect spot for anyone looking to learn. It could be due to the stores’ hospitality, making it a nice place to meet new people and share ideas.

Ultimately though, it’s all of these little things and much, much more that have lured people into bookstores.

Many independent bookstores pursue similar strategies to attain success.

In 2017 Ryan L. Raffaelli, faculty of Harvard Business School, set out to find why and how small bookstores have survived despite the growth of Amazon.com.

He found that one of the biggest contributors to an independent bookstore’s success was their involvement in the community, stating that, “Indie bookstores won customers back from Amazon, Borders, and other big players by stressing a strong connection to local community values30.” So let’s see how exactly Books Inc. plays a role in its communities.

Most book lovers are excited by the opportunity to share their passion for literature, so it only makes sense that bookstores emphasize outreach. Books Inc. makes an effort to reach out to people of all ages. They’re always happy to put a flyer up for a local happening or hold a fundraising event for nonprofit organizations. Melanie Knight, the manager for Books Inc. in Alameda, sees outreach as a way “to do anything that’s gonna support schools and literacy31.” The giant sphere that is Books Inc.’s community outreach can be broken down into several different fields: providing opportunities for young children, middle readers, teenagers, adults, and educators.

Many of the Books Inc. employees agree with the idea of community outreach, so they try to enact programs to encourag people to read. For example, storytime is held weekly or even biweekly in most locations.Young children can come to the store to hear an animated telling of a book followed by an activity or snacks. For middle readers of ages eight through twelve or so, there’s an opportunity to participate in a book club. At Books Inc.’s in Town & Country Village in Palo Alto, Just The Facts, or JTF, meets once a month after reading two books to discuss the reading, participate in a themed activity, and enjoy refreshments. This fantastic way to get young readers more excited about reading came form Dori Jaroslow, the manager of Books Inc. in Palo Alto, and her staff who felt that there wasn’t enough opportunity for those in between being younglings and teeangers.

According to Michael Tucker, Books Inc.’s mission is to “actively participate in whatever reading programs that [they] can do and to get kids excited about reading32”. In other words, the best way to create a good relationship between reading and children is simply to get books in their hands. That’s exactly what Books Inc. does.

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For children between the ages of 13 to 17, the Young Adult Reader’s Association, or YARA, offers an opportunity to get involved in anything and everything book related. They club meets once a month to do things like review books, volunteer at events, and create interesting displays33.

But outreach in Books Inc. involves much more than having and hosting book clubs. In Alameda, manager Melanie Knight helped the Black Student Union from Ensenel High School organize a poetry night at the store and is hoping to have them back soon34. Knight recounted that the event was a great success and several passer-byers stayed in the store after walking in by chance to listen to what the young people had to say. These are the kinds of opportunities that Books Inc. strives to offer for the youths in communities the stores are in.

They have programs for people of all ages though. Books Inc. provides a meeting place for several book clubs, and loves to work with schools hosting shopping nights, putting on book fairs, and bringing authors to the campus. On shopping nights a school or any nonprofit organization receives twenty percent of sales during any three hours of the day that they have chosen for the event. Dori Jaroslow explained that shopping nights increase “money and outreach and knowledge of their organization through the bookstore36.”

Increasing the public knowledge of something doesn’t have to apply an organization though. Books Inc. holds several author events a month, information on which can always be found front and center on the home page of Books Inc.’s website and in the monthly newsletter. Author events show a deeper level of understanding of the relationships readers have with their books. Readers often feel that on some level they’ve already met the authors of their favorite stories by reading their work. This encounter however is indirect, so bookstores provide the perfect location for authors and readers to meet.

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Fantastic Books and Where to Find Them 22

Bookstores are a place of discovery and adventure while simultaneously serving as a second home for customers to relax and feel at peace. How do different locations provide such diverse aesthetics and inviting atmospheres for those who venture inside?

First and foremost, the infinite stories that await through the doors of a bookstore grant a reader free transportation into another world. Running a finger down the spines of the countless books in the store give any book enthusiast chills. There’s something for everyone, and more than that, that something is relatively easy to locate within a bookstore. Inside a shop, it’s a lot easier to look at titles and jump between sections waiting for something to grab one’s attention. In contrast, online book shopping is much more deterministic. Online, one is not able to roam around following wherever their fancy takes them.

Picking a book should be a journey without a fixed destination, for we do not venture into bookstores simply looking for factual information; we go because we enjoy the process of getting lost in a story. Picking up a book can grant an escape from everyday life. But it’s not just being transported to another world; reading presents a learning opportunity, and the topic the reader chooses to build their knowledge on can be absolutely anything. One can get factual information through nonfiction, cultural information through cookbooks, and much, much more through any other genre.

More than books though, indies provide homes for all those who enter. Bookstores have always been known as a place of congregation. After any earth-shattering event, booksellers recall the floods of people that ventured through their doors seeking comfort or understanding. The American Booksellers Association’s president recalled a time in her bookstore where they “were mobbed, not because people wanted to buy books but because they needed a place to be; they needed a place where they felt safe, to talk about and digest what had happened, to express their own shock and fear, yes, but also to listen to others talk, to hear what others were feeling--and thinking--about what had just happened and what it meant36”. This experience is commonly shared between booksellers. Dori Jaroslow’s history with these situations has given her insight into bookstores as safe havens.

She was even able to draw off a very recent occurrence. The Town and Country Village Books Inc. store is located just across the way from Palo Alto High School. There had been a lockdown at the school due to alerts of a bomb threat or a potential active shooter. They were all terrified and confused. Jaroslow recalls, “several kids who came over to the bookstore [who] just want[ed] to hang out and just kind of decompress37.”

Booksellers work to create an environment that is welcoming as well as warm and accepting. It’s a place that goes beyond its contents. A bookstore serves as a designated zone where it is okay to share opinions and ideas even if they are of on opposite sides of say, a political issue. People there are willing and wanting to learn new things from others. This may be one of the reasons one goes into a bookstore instead of purchasing books online. One comes in looking for recommendations.

In fact, it is from the staff recommendations tables at the Books Inc. locations are where many books sell best. People come in looking to discover something new. According to Glenn Robbe, manager of Books Inc. in Mountain View, “...when people come in they’ll buy two or three books from that table at a time38”. Books Inc. has more than just a table with recommendations though. Staff Review cards, or Shelf Talkers can be found in all sections of the store. They play a big part in advocating for a book, their best feature being honesty. Of course, all reviews are written based on the reader’s personal views, but what 23

makes them a trustworthy source to consider when buying a new book is their complete transparency. Books Inc. employees will be honest in their reviews verbally too. Jaroslow explains how she trains her staff to always give authentic reviews39. When they’re asked about any book, they won’t just say it’s great. If all books are always great all the time, customers begin to feel disconnected from staff members and may not ask for their opinion next time around, severely hindering the possibility of sales.

The report a an employee gives may not necessarily have to be good either. A staff member is free to say that they personally disliked a book, but then after they’ll most likely mention how readers of a particular genre may find it engaging, or that they know others who did really enjoy it. If staff is honest about their perspectives, customers are more likely to keep coming back. Some even begin to look for certain names on Staff Reviews when choosing the next book.

Books Inc. is big on catering to their customers. It’s more than just sharing opinions, the stores also provide great options that readers in their areas can relate with. For example, some stores feature an NPR table, where listeners in the Bay Area may find something they heard about on the radio. Similarly, stores that lie closer to the heart of Silicon Valley will carry more books relating to technology than others. Although all books are initially bought by the main office in San Francisco, they are then divided up into numbers that represent which neighborhood may attract more readers of a particular genre40. After that initial process though, it’s up to the stores to replenish the number of books they recieved, or order a book someone has expressed a lot of passion towards41.

More than just finding good reads for a particular neighborhood, a big part of catering towards customers is making sure they’re able to see themselves in the stories published, and one of Books Inc.’s main goals is to increase diversity. Knight is working particularly hard to find a way for all people to see themselves represented, and she means this to it’s full extent:

“I’m not just talking about people of color, I’m talking about differently abled, and different sexualities, and I want everyone to be represented42”.

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25

Notes 1 2

Bomey, Nathan. “Borders’ Rise and Fall: a Timeline of the Bookstore Chain’s 40-Year History.” The Ann Arbor News, 18 July 2011.

Stern, Madeleine B. “Anton Roman: Argonaut of Books.” California History, University of California Press, 1 Mar. 1949, ch.ucpress.edu/con

tent/28/1/1.

3 Ibid.

4 Ibid.

5 “Alexander Mitchell Robertson.” Prabook.com, 2018, prabook.com/web/alexander_mitchell.robertson/1082113.

6 Tucker, Michael. Personal interview. 20 March 2018.

7 Bookstore, Interview with a. “Interview with a Bookstore: Books Inc.” Literary Hub, 14 May 2017, lithub.com/interview-with-a-bookstore-books-inc/.

8 “Chapter 11 - Bankruptcy Basics.” United States Courts, www.uscourts.gov/services-forms/bankruptcy/bankruptcy-basics/chapter-11-bankruptcy- basics.

9 “Leon Gelber in the 1940 Census.” Ancestry, www.ancestry.com/1940-census/usa/California/Leon-Gelber_2hb8mt.

10 Mellby, Julie L. “The Gelber-Lilienthal Book Shop of San Francisco - Graphic Arts.” Princeton University, The Trustees of Princeton University, 31 Dec.

2010, www.princeton.edu/~graphicarts/2010/12/angelo.html.

11 “Some Late Great Bookmen of the San Francisco Bay Area.” The IMPRINT of the Stanford Libraries Associate, by Jacob Zeitlin, 2nd ed., XI, Associates

of the Stanford University Libraries, 1985.

12 “Sherwood Anderson: a Writer in America.” Sherwood Anderson: a Writer in America, by Walter Bates Rideout, vol. 2, Univ. of Wisconsin Press, 2007,

p. 363.

13 Boissoneault, Lorraine. “A Brief History of Book Burning, From the Printing Press to Internet Archives.” Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 31

Aug. 2017, www.smithsonianmag.com/history/brief-history-book-burning-printing-press-internet-archives-180964697/.

14 Bertrand Livrerios. “Bertrand Livreiros - Livraria Online.” Bertrand, www.bertrand.pt/.

15 “Barnes & Noble History | B&N INC.” Barnes & Noble Inc, Barnes & Noble, Inc, 2016, www.barnesandnobleinc.com/about-bn/heritage/.

16 Ibid.

17 Noguchi, Yuki. “Why Borders Failed While Barnes & Noble Survived.” NPR, NPR, 19 July 2011, www.npr.org/2011/07/19/138514209/why-

borders-failed-while-barnes-and-noble-survived.

18 Ibid.

19 “Jeff Bezos.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 19 Apr. 2018, www.biography.com/people/jeff-bezos-9542209.

20 Ibid.

21 “Books Inc. - The West’s Oldest Independent Bookseller.” Books Inc. - The West’s Oldest Independent Bookseller, Books Inc., www.booksinc.net/.

22 Raffaelli, Ryan. “How Independent Bookstores Have Thrived in Spite of Amazon.com.” HBS Working Knowledge, 20 Nov. 2017, hbswk.hbs.edu/item/

why-independent-bookstores-haved-thrived-in-spite-of-amazon-com.

23 “STUDY SHOWS INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORES CONTINUE TO LOSE MARKET SHARE AS CHAINS CONTINUE TO GAIN.” PR Newswire,

16 June 1996, p. 616NYSU003. Student Resources In Context, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A18390363/SUIC?u=los42754&sid=SUIC&

xid=f1342409. Accessed 29 Mar. 2018.

24 Tucker, Michael. Personal interview. 20 March 2018.

26

25

26

27

28

29 30

31 32 33

34 35 36

37 38 39 40 41 42

Marotti, Ally. “As e-Book Sales Fall and Audiobooks Rise, Print Still Dominates for Local Booksellers.” Chicagotribune.com, 7 Jan. 2018, www.chicago tribune.com/business/ct-biz-chicago-bookstores-audiobooks-20171219-story.html.

Raffaelli, Ryan. “How Independent Bookstores Have Thrived in Spite of Amazon.com.” HBS Working Knowledge, 20 Nov. 2017, hbswk.hbs.edu/item/ why-independent-bookstores-haved-thrived-in-spite-of-amazon-com.

Rosenwald, Michael S. “Independent bookstores turn a new page on brick-and-mortar retailing.” Washington Post, 15 Dec. 2013. Student Resources In Context, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A352983604/SUIC?u=los42754&sid=SUIC&xid=3f4fc488. Accessed 29 Mar. 2018.

Bromwich, Jonah Engel. “What It Takes to Open a Bookstore.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 29 Nov. 2016, www.nytimes. com/2016/11/29/nyregion/bookstores-opening.html.

Tucker, Michael. Personal interview. 20 March 2018.

Nobel, Carmen. “How Independent Bookstores Have Thrived in Spite of Amazon.com.” HBS Working Knowledge, President & Fellows of Harvard College, 20 Nov. 2017, hbswk.hbs.edu/item/why-independent-bookstores-haved-thrived-in-spite-of-amazon-com.

Knight, Melanie. Personal interview. 2 April 2018.

Tucker, Michael. Personal interview. 20 March 2018.

“Young Adult Readers Association (YARA).” Books Inc. - The West’s Oldest Independent Bookseller, Books Inc., www.booksinc.net/Teen_Advisory_ Board.

Knight, Melanie. Personal interview. 2 April 2018.

Jaroslow, Dori. Personal interview. 16 April 2018.

Burton, Betsy. “When a Bookstore Is Also a Safe Haven.” PublishersWeekly.com, Publishers Weekly, 15 July 2016, www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by- topic/columns-and-blogs/soapbox/article/70923-when-a-bookstore-is-also-a-safe-haven.html.

Jaroslow, Dori. Personal interview. 16 April 2018.

Robbe, Glenn. Personal interview. 23 March 2018.

Jaroslow, Dori. Personal interview. 16 April 2018.

Robbe, Glenn. Personal interview. 23 March 2018.

Knight, Melanie. Personal interview. 2 April 2018.

Ibid.

27

Works Cited “Alexander Mitchell Robertson.” Prabook.com, 2018, prabook.com/web/alexander_mitchell.robertson/1082113.

“Barnes & Noble History | B&N INC.” Barnes & Noble Inc, Barnes & Noble, Inc, 2016, www.barnesandnobleinc.com/

about-bn/heritage/ Bertrand Livrerios. “Bertrand Livreiros - Livraria Online.” Bertrand, www.bertrand.pt/.

Boissoneault, Lorraine. “A Brief History of Book Burning, From the Printing Press to Internet Archives.” Smithsonian.com,

Smithsonian Institution, 31 Aug. 2017, www.smithsonianmag.com/history/brief-history-book-burning-printing-

press-internet-archives-180964697/.

Bomey, Nathan. “Borders’ Rise and Fall: a Timeline of the Bookstore Chain’s 40-Year History.” The Ann Arbor News,

18 July 2011.

“Books Inc. - The West’s Oldest Independent Bookseller.” Books Inc. - The West’s Oldest Independent Bookseller,

Books Inc., www.booksinc.net/.

Bookstore, Interview with a. “Interview with a Bookstore: Books Inc.” Literary Hub, 14 May 2017, lithub.com/

interview-with-a-bookstore-books-inc/.

Bromwich, Jonah Engel. “What It Takes to Open a Bookstore.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 29 Nov.

2016, www.nytimes.com/2016/11/29/nyregion/bookstores-opening.html.

Burton, Betsy. “When a Bookstore Is Also a Safe Haven.” PublishersWeekly.com, Publishers Weekly, 15 July 2016,

www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/columns-and-blogs/soapbox/article/70923-when-a-bookstore-is-also-

a-safe-haven.html.

“Chapter 11 - Bankruptcy Basics.” United States Courts, www.uscourts.gov/services-forms/bankruptcy/bankruptcy-basics/

chapter-11-bankruptcy-basics.

Furman, Laura, and Elinore Standard. Bookworms: Great Writers and Readers Celebrate Reading. Carroll & Graf Publishers, 1996.

Jaroslow, Dori. Personal interview. 16 April 2018.

“Jeff Bezos.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 19 Apr. 2018, www.biography.com/people/jeff-bezos-9542209.

Knight, Melanie. Personal interview. 2 April 2018.

28

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Francesca Seni was born in December of 2000. She enjoys reading, spending time with friends, and practicing her several instruments. Her dream car is a 71’ Volkswagen bus, and she hopes to one day live in London. She’s excited to go to college and is planning on majoring in Linguistics and minoring in U.S. History in the future, but for now she is content being in high school. She is beyond grateful to be a student at Freestyle Academy because of all that’s she’s been taught. Francesca enjoys being active in her community through volunteer work and especially enjoys working with children. She hopes that no matter where her life takes her, she’ll always be able to make time for reading, writing, and music.

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All Booked

Francesca Seni