Saturday August the 11th is National Bookshop Day in Australia. This is an annual event to celebrate bookshops and their role in our communities.
National Bookshop Day has a Facebook page and just looking at all the wonderful events planned around the country makes me smile.
I have worked for numerous bookshops in my career, all of which I have absolutely loved and been passionate about. Katie and I met working in a bookshop – Borders in 1998, when we set up and worked in their first store in Australia at South Yarra.
Book Bonding, Keilor Road, Niddrie
When we go on family holidays one of the things I need to do is find the local bookshop – just to have a look. My partner always says to me – “But, you work in a bookshop! Why do you want to visit others?” But why would I not? I love the product passionately, I might see something I didn’t know existed and I can have a chat with the store owners about lovely books new and old.
Hill of Content – Bourke Street, Melbourne
I have used the Book Depository, I have used Amazon and I have used Australian book websites too – they all have their place of course. But none of those sites can replace the beauty of browsing a bookshop or picking up a gorgeously designed hardcover or asking incredibly knowledgeable and well read staff for recommendations.
Coventry Bookstore – South Melbourne
That is the thing about our Australian bookstores; we have amazing staff who are so totally passionate about what they do. Bookselling is a retail like no other. You don’t just hand someone a dress and say try this on for size, bookselling is about getting the right book into the right hands. Children’s bookselling in particular is an art and of such great importance for the future of reading in our country.
The Little Bookroom – Degraves Street, Melbourne
Over the past couple of years there has been a huge resurgence in people buying handmade and artisan in craft and clothing and food – let’s support our local bookshops like we do those other products.
Are you visiting a bookshop this Saturday? What are your favourite bookshops? We’d love you to share your thoughts and loves with us.
* Katie did a series of posts about children’s bookshops around the world that you can re-read here *
Great post, Lou, and I love, love, love Hill of Content’s Cat Rabbit window!
Beautifully said Lou. We will be visiting Stoneman’s Bookshop in Castlemaine.
You are great advocates for the humble bookshop.
You’ve featured many of my favourite bookshops. I also love Three Four Knock on the Door and Enchanted by Books.
What a great post Lou! Just when we thought we couldn’t more excited about National Bookshop Day you write this! Awesome explosion!!! And thanks so much for popping in the pic of our Degraves St shop window – that cloth bound classics is a favourite!
love the topic, love peeking in the windows of all those great little finds. well done Lou. my favourite independent bookshop in Melbourne is not the prettiest but the staff are awesome, and their range is great, particularly when choosing children’s books as presents for tricky middle to older readers.
http://www.womo.com.au/reviews/Books-In-Print-Malvern/
Happy National bookshop day!
My favourite bookshop … is actually a library; our local library in London. Recently opened by our local council a short bus side away. Incredible architecture that feels a bit like the Guggenheim museum in NYC; 4 stories of books that kids can walk along without any stairs…. and right down at the end of the ramp in the middle of the space is the kids reading area. Fab space.
http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/Services/LeisureCulture/Libraries/LocalLibraries/ClaphamLibrary.htm
I spent National Bookshop Day at Pages and Pages in Mosman. A wonderful bookstore with a dedicated kids and YA section whose staff really know their books. I came home disapointed that where I live, Wollongong (the third largest city in NSW), there are no bookellers except a few shelves in the ABC store and department stores. No real choice. Then a few days later – an email to say Dymocks were reopening! It’s just so exciting to think I’ll be able to browse in a book shop again on a regular basis. One of my favourite bookshops is Booktique in Merimbula – chocolate and books- for me its a winning combination!