There is an article today about Borders, the giant bookstore chain, going bankrupt. I am not sure if they will pull out the store here, because if they do, it is a disaster indeed as I will no longer find any good books around anymore.
Borders is the first bookstore and cafe concept to open here, back in the mid-1990s. In those days, it was hard to find really good books around. Most of the time, I end up going to the library, or to local bookstores where there is not much variety, or else I will buy my books overseas from Harris when I went to Australia.
Then the Japanese bookstore Kinokuniya came. Even though it has a wide range of books, but most of the time, it is filled with, erh, Japanese books. So when Borders opened its doors, I started hanging out there all the time. The variety is humongous - from reference books to fiction to non-fiction to cookbooks. Many of my university textbooks were bought in Borders.
I remember those days when I was still a poor student, I would go to Borders, pick out a book I like, then hide in a corner and started reading. I never got caught because I always finished the book within a couple of hours, then returned it back to the shelf. The book looks as good as new because I always handle it with care. I absolutely hate anyone reading a book or flipping through the covers and returning it with the covers tattered and folded. The least one can do is to learn how to take care of a book properly!
Now with the internet age, I no longer step into Borders that often. I would always order online. I guess due to this, the bookstore itself is not making any profits because most people prefer to order books online now, or worse, download e-books or just read everything off the internet.
A few months back, I wrote a post on how electronic media can never be compared to print media. I still concur to this. No matter how much you read off smartphones, or the internet or iPads or Kindle, it is never the same having a physical book in your hands. Yes, I know electronic versions do not cost money, I know it is saving the trees, but there are other ways to save money and there are other ways to save the trees. Improving your knowledge and language is worth every penny.
It is just like downloading movies instead of going to the cinema. Or downloading songs instead of listening to a CD or iPod. Call me old-fashioned or out with the times, but I much prefer seeing the big screen in the movies as compared to the small screen on my computer or laptop. I much prefer listening to the CDs on my clock radio-CD player instead of downloading songs and listening off my computer or laptop. And if I go travelling, I can always burn all the songs from my CDs into my iPod Shuffle.
I really hope Borders will not pull its store from the local shore. There is only one Borders store here, and if that goes, it will be a disaster! No longer will I be able to relieve my younger days and enjoy hanging out there anymore!
Borders is the first bookstore and cafe concept to open here, back in the mid-1990s. In those days, it was hard to find really good books around. Most of the time, I end up going to the library, or to local bookstores where there is not much variety, or else I will buy my books overseas from Harris when I went to Australia.
Then the Japanese bookstore Kinokuniya came. Even though it has a wide range of books, but most of the time, it is filled with, erh, Japanese books. So when Borders opened its doors, I started hanging out there all the time. The variety is humongous - from reference books to fiction to non-fiction to cookbooks. Many of my university textbooks were bought in Borders.
I remember those days when I was still a poor student, I would go to Borders, pick out a book I like, then hide in a corner and started reading. I never got caught because I always finished the book within a couple of hours, then returned it back to the shelf. The book looks as good as new because I always handle it with care. I absolutely hate anyone reading a book or flipping through the covers and returning it with the covers tattered and folded. The least one can do is to learn how to take care of a book properly!
Now with the internet age, I no longer step into Borders that often. I would always order online. I guess due to this, the bookstore itself is not making any profits because most people prefer to order books online now, or worse, download e-books or just read everything off the internet.
A few months back, I wrote a post on how electronic media can never be compared to print media. I still concur to this. No matter how much you read off smartphones, or the internet or iPads or Kindle, it is never the same having a physical book in your hands. Yes, I know electronic versions do not cost money, I know it is saving the trees, but there are other ways to save money and there are other ways to save the trees. Improving your knowledge and language is worth every penny.
It is just like downloading movies instead of going to the cinema. Or downloading songs instead of listening to a CD or iPod. Call me old-fashioned or out with the times, but I much prefer seeing the big screen in the movies as compared to the small screen on my computer or laptop. I much prefer listening to the CDs on my clock radio-CD player instead of downloading songs and listening off my computer or laptop. And if I go travelling, I can always burn all the songs from my CDs into my iPod Shuffle.
I really hope Borders will not pull its store from the local shore. There is only one Borders store here, and if that goes, it will be a disaster! No longer will I be able to relieve my younger days and enjoy hanging out there anymore!
0 comments:
Post a Comment