All this means bookshops are rapidly closing their stores – some because they have been told to, others through choice to protect the health of their customers and staff. Those that have been able to keep their doors open have seen a significant drop in footfall. Yet, with people stuck at home and in need of distraction and escape, books suddenly feel more vital than ever – and booksellers by their very nature are resilient and creative folk. So they are coming up with new ways to serve their customers and communities, from ramping up their delivery service and dropping off orders by bicycle, to recreating their community spaces on social media, recommending the perfect books for those stuck in self isolation and running virtual events.

Comfort reading

For Mike Gustafson, owner of Literati Bookstore, an award-winning shop in Ann Arbor, Michigan, shutting the doors was both an easy and a difficult decision to make. “I was on the phone with our manager about limiting our hours when my wife walked into my office and bluntly stated, ‘We need to close.’ We made the decision to close 15 minutes later. And we could be closed for many months.”

Like many shops, they moved quickly to prioritising online ordering – hoping that their customers would understand. “We usually get around 5 or 10 orders a day. In less than a week we’ve had over 800,” says Gustafson. “Everything happened so fast. However, our community has rallied behind us. They have placed many orders, left overwhelmingly kind comments and boosted our morale on social media pages. I fully grasp that during times like these, books are not high on the hierarchy of survival needs. And yet, for so many, books offer a unique kind of comfort, and perhaps are really needed right now.”