The Sanctuary of Book Stores 

By Elaine Smith

I love to learn, and I read constantly because I enjoy it. So a lot of what I know comes from whatever I happen to be reading. When I have a specific question, one of the first places I turn to is the book shops. Many people are amazed by this, but I LOVE book stores and encyclopedias.

I am a shopper at heart. I like to shop for everything from apparel to gifts to groceries. My husband teases me that I am the only person that he knows that spends time browsing at the gas station. Of all the shopping and browsing I do my favorite places to go to are book stores.

I will spend lots off hours in book stores looking through new arrivals as well as children books and reference books. When I was in high school and college I spent time working in the library. I could not believe that I was being paid to spend time around books. In college I worked in the government document section of the library.

This was previous to the computer age so students would come and request the different government documents. I was the only student that remained working in this section for the full four years, the other students thought it was too boring working with the dull government documents, but I found it fascinating how much research and money went into doing studies on anything and everything. It was this early expose to a wide variety of printed materials that created my love of book stores.

Since I enjoy all kinds of printed materials I also like a wide range of book stores. My favorite book shops to visit however are the small shops that are located in smaller neighborhoods and small towns. The proprietors tend to be very knowledgeable and often a bit eccentric.

I have found that they are often the most knowledgeable about the area that I am visiting. Many people go to gift and souvenir shops when they are visiting a new place, but I look for the local book stores.

Within these stores I am able to learn about the history of the area as well as where to eat, stay and what to see while I am in town. Most book stores are not as busy as the gift and souvenir stores, so the clerks will generally take as much time with you as you want or need. I have also found many special gifts and other items in these shops. Many of the small book stores carry unique items for people that like to read. These include a wide variety of book markers as well as specialty gift books and journals.

I have spent so many countless hours at different book stores across the country that I have customary correspondence with several different shop owners. I make it a point to let them know if I am going to be in their area so we can spend time together. I do not spend money in every shop I go into, but the owners share my passion of printed materials so they like to see me come to their stores even if it does not mean a large sale for them.

One of my favorite places is the library. Fortunately, it's right on the way home from work and it's open late! It is unbelievable how many good books there are at the library.

Resources

Technical Publications - SINCE 1946....Your TECHNICAL headquarters for Books, Codes, Standards, Maps, and Specifications...almost ANY technical publication in print!

Powell’s Books – Art, audio, biography, business, health and medicine, foreign language, graphic novels, history etc. There are many other info sites on books to be found on the web.