If you are even remotely interested in a career path that involves the written word on paper — journalist, writer, librarian, editor, etc. — this has probably happened to you.
Chances are, at some point in your life, someone with well-meant intentions has looked at your hopeful face and said, somewhat condescendingly, "Well that’s very nice, but you do know the print industry is dying, right?"
Well, I am here today to say they are wrong! Perhaps.
The print industry has had serious pitfalls, there is no arguing with that. Major bookstores have severely downsized or closed down, and adorable nook-and-cranny independent bookstores have become few and far between.
When the rise of e-books and the fall of the newspaper combined with a hefty recession, it seemed for a while that everything print was in flux. People lost their jobs, the industry suffered and anyone with a dream of going into publishing decided a backup career path was definitely required. This includes me.
I find it sad that the written word has gone out of style. E-books are grand things, a great invention of convenience, but I will always prefer a paperback book, a sweet-smelling old volume or a signed copy of a raggedly loved book I swear I’ll keep until nothing but duct tape and hope will keep it together. I’m not exactly a traditional person, and I’m certainly just as much technologically inclined as the next millennial college student, but nothing gives me quite as much satisfaction as adding another book to the swelling tower of titles by my bed.
But perhaps we are not lost. Perhaps people’s appreciation for a tangible thing to hold and read and spill coffee on will win over the shiny temptation of Kindle screens and "Read Now" buttons. According to a recent The New York Times article, which fought the good fight for defending the printed book industry, the "digital apocalypse" has so far been late in arriving and perhaps will never come. Praise!
While e-books were supposed to overtake all things printed by 2015, their sales have instead fallen, according to the Association of American Publishers. While online subscription services struggle to entice people to the decadent table of e-book binging, many remain steadfastly against them. E-books have made little progress in gaining a bigger hold on the market.
All this says to me is perhaps the publishing industry will not be forced to abandon printed books. There’s always been a press for progress, and that is necessary. But major publishing books have other ways to make money and gain efficiency, and they’ve found them. To battle the rising tide of electronic media, publishing houses offered faster deliveries to book sellers and developed new ways to re-stock and organize inventories.
Even better: Independent bookstores are making a comeback! While there’s no denying many have closed their doors forever, others are only just starting to be established.
I was devastated when the tiny hole-in-the-wall bookstore and bar Broken Shelves of downtown Gainesville announced it would be closing, but contenders like Wild Iris Books and the Civic Media Center are still kicking. There is also a new bookstore opening soon in the newly renovated Wine and Cheese Gallery called Third House Books. The combination of books and booze is never a bad idea; I plan to be there as often as possible. Independent booksellers are slowly re-emerging in part because they offer something that big bookstore chains and publishing houses will never have: specially curated selections, niche titles and a unique community feel. The feeling of walking into a bookshop, with dusty books tumbling from the shelves and a quiet peacefulness in the air, simply can’t be replicated by a Kindle.
While perhaps the rise of the e-book is simply on pause, it’s clear to me that the mere fact a new independent bookstore is opening in Gainesville is indication of a small victory.
As much as it might be an uphill battle, as long as the written word and human creativity exists, I firmly believe people will continue to buy printed books for years to come.
Sally Grieder is a UF English and public relations junior. Her column usually appears on Wednesdays.
