Loss of another book store a sad thing

Any time a book store closes down, it’s bad news. I never shopped at Second Glance used books on Victoria Street. Not once, at least not that I remember. I simply don’t read many used books, and shop for my new ones at the big stores.

Yet I read a lot, both fiction and non-fiction. I seldom go to the library, so reading is expensive.

Some people think book stores have themselves to blame because their prices are too high. People can read more cheaply (though not much) on their e-readers, or the public library.

What they have to understand is the cost of producing a book these days. The printer and design people must be paid by the publisher, who takes a small percentage of the selling price. Publishers often tell their authors to cut the size of their manuscripts in order to trim paper costs — few books are more than 250 pages or so now.

Then the distributor must be paid for delivering copies of the book to the stores. Somebody has to be hired to market it.  The author usually receives a paltry 10 per cent.

And, finally, the store itself receives its share, from which overhead must be paid.

Books are a tough way to make a living. Obviously, the split is much different for used books than for new, but I’m guessing the margin is even slimmer.

A lot of people are probably like me, or have made the transition to electronic copies. We’re losing too many book stores, and too many CD stores, and I suppose I must share the blame.