Bye Bye Borders

The news that Border's Books would be shutting all its stores really hurt. I have a lot of great memories in Border's but it's bigger than losing a place that I would hang out at and bring my kids to.  As a reading educator I see the trend of moving toward online books one that will increase stratification in our society.  The haves and the have nots as it relates to e-books will have an impact on literacy in our society.

Before I begin.  Let me admit that I have a Kindle and read books on my Kindle, computer, and sometimes (but not often phone).  I also order a huge amount of my personal books from amazon. Heck, while I am confessing my sins, I also bought my husband an Ipad and downloaded beautiful, engaging, and interactive books onto it for my kids (at 3.99 a pop, they're easy baby sitters).

Perhaps I should stop here.  Because I've just admitted that I'm responsible for the demise of Border's Books.  People like me as well as avid readers like my parents who buy all their books used from Goodwill once a month when Seniors get discounts on them.

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But this is supposed to be about my fears of  the effects of the closing of Border's on literacy in the Central and Leeward areas.  The Miliani Border's Express and the Pearlridge Border's were the lone book stores after the Waipio Store was closed.  Now that they will be shutting their doors the nearest book stores will be Barnes and Nobles at Kahala Mall and Ala Moana.  While I have no problem jumping in my car and driving 20 or so miles to get a book that is not the case for all.

And when I say all, my biggest concern are families of poverty and limited English proficiency.  These populations are the ones that will suffer the most with the loss of these stores and physical books.  Children in these homes will be less likely to visit book stores, receive books as gifts, and be highly unlikely to purchase Kindles, Ipads or E-books.

As an educator I've always stressed and encouraged parents to read with their kids at home.  Even if parents were not literate we still taught them to sit with their kids, open the book, and look at pictures.  We often gave books away to families.  The shift from physical books to E-readers has me fearful.  As physical books become more scarce how do we encourage reading and literacy in the homes that cannot afford such technology?

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As a reader and lover of books I have always collected books.  I have a huge library of books ranging from children's books, to coffee table books, to books in Spanish. I love to hold them and look at them as they have deep and significant meaning to me.  Since converting to a part-time Kindle user I still buy physical books if they have meaning.  I like the ease of holding a Kindle while reading and the ability to transport large amts. of titles so easily..but nothing beats holding a beloved book in my hand.  The solidity of holding Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows connects me to Harry, Ron, and Hermione.  I have 10 different versions of the Little Prince...Spanish, hard cover, paper back new, paper back highlighted, french, Special Edition Hong Kong. All collected and loved.  I wonder if the generation of readers who are growing up on electronic copies will have the same affinity for books as those of us who have kept libraries for many years.

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I am taking my kids to the book store tomorrow and I am going to let them spend an ungodly amount of money on books.  Then I am going to have them pose and take pictures both inside and outside of the stores.  Someday they're going to be showing their grandkids these pictures to show them what a book was and what a book store was used for.

Just a sad day for a bibliophile like me.