November 8, 2010 / Leslie

Musing Mondays

Musing Monday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. This week’s musing asks in regards to a report on trends in reader’s current book buying habits:

What are your responses to this report? Does it match with what you –as a reader– have observed? With your own buying habits? When was the last time you bought a book? What did you buy and why?

I’m not surprised that Amazon’s share of book sales has increased. They make it easy, convenient and less expensive than the alternative: driving to the bookstore which may or may not even have what I want in stock. Is this a good thing? That depends on who you are asking. I love being able to order a book online and have it appear in my mailbox a few days later. I think the days of the large chain retail book stores are numbered, rarely do I walk into one anymore. Some of the local indie bookstores will do alright if they tap into the book buyers in the community and offer them something more than just full price books. Appearances and readings by authors, hosting a bookclub or some other special event will draw book lovers and potential buyers.

Where do I get my books? The majority of my books come from the Friends of the Library sales and other local used book sales. I’ll order from Amazon if I can’t wait, need a gift or want a specific title like one of my photography or birding books. I’m also a heavy user of the local library. Plus I donate money and books that I am finished with back to the Friends of the Library so they can purchase more books. I rarely buy a hardcover book; only if I intend to keep it for my collection or have it signed. My last book purchase was a hardcover of Skating Around The Law which I bought at my local indie store last month where the author was appearing and signing the books. The book came with a free t-shirt which was very cool; it had the book signing tour on the back of it like a concert t-shirt.

Finally, a word on e-books. I don’t read them because I don’t have an e-reader. I won’t spend what I feel is an excessive amount of money on a device that will most likely be obsolete in the next year and does not allow me to share, trade or donate my book when I’m done with it. When the e-readers drop in price to the disposable level, as most electronic devices eventually do when they reach saturation point, I will own one. Until then I am happy with my paperbacks.