Today’s Musing Mondays question deals with everyone’s favorite topic — the economy!
“How has the economy impacted your book buying? Do you think it’ll change the reading and book-buying habits of the country? Will it increase your library visits? Will it make you wait for the paperback edition instead of buying the hardcover?”
Up until a week or so ago, I worked part-time for a major book retailer — and got a hefty discount. I won’t lie and tell you that discount wasn’t one of my favorite parts of the job! I love and miss my friends and co-workers, yes, and I did enjoy helping people, but what I really loved was seeing all of the new books fresh out of the boxes — including the incredibly popular new tomes like Harry Potter and Breaking Dawn — and getting 33 percent off their list prices. Yes!
Now that I’ve wrapped up my time in retail, I’m left sans discount. So I’ve already started thinking about how and where I’m going to be getting my new books. Because the advance reading copy well has also dried up! For now, anyway. Like everyone, I’m evaluating my spending habits… and it didn’t take long for me to realize I was spending a good chunk of my biweekly paychecks back in the store on paperbacks.
I’m more of a quality paperback or mass market reader, so giving up hardcovers is no problem for me. They’re way too expensive, anyway. I usually find a book I really want to read, figure out the release date for the paperback (if it’s not too far away!) and then make myself a little note. For instance, I can tell you that Geraldine Brooks’ People of the Book will be released in December — and I’ve been waiting a while for that one! I really want to grab a paperback of Jhumpa Lahiri’s Unaccustomed Earth, too. I need to investigate that release date.
The economy isn’t change my reading habits, but it will definitely change my book-buying habits — I’m going to be looking more into used books and programs like Book Mooch. I’ve never been one to frequent the library — I’m selfish and like write in, bend up and highlight my books to my heart’s content — but I’m sure I’ll be looking for alternative ways to find my next read. I’ll probably start scoping out Amazon’s used books, too. Before my retail discount, I got tons of books used — sometimes they have more character that way, too! I love finding little notes and scribblings from the previous owner. Reminds me of my used-book college textbook days! Ah, nostalgia!
