And finally: Remember independent book shops

The Times’s Rebecca Liebson writes:

For many, social distancing offers a chance to catch up on reading. And now, independent booksellers across New York City are urging customers to place orders for delivery as a way to support small businesses and to flatten the curve.

Here are just a few:

Books Are Magic in Brooklyn is accepting online orders, and some in-store events will be replaced with “virtual conversations.”

The store is also selling a “Stay Safe Read Books” T-shirt and donating half of the proceeds to the Book Industry Charitable Foundation. The other half will go toward supporting Books Are Magic employees.

Astoria Bookshop in Queens is also accepting online orders. The owner, Lexi Beach, said she planned to hold the store’s weekly Thursday morning storytime on Instagram Live. “We have felt so much love from the community this week,” she said, “and we are grateful to our loyal customers for that.”

The founder of Word Up Community Bookshop in Manhattan, Veronica Santiago Liu, said the shop was planning a fund-raiser to support local postal workers who are helping to deliver its online orders.

“We have contingency plans, we worked hard over many years to build up a cash reserve, and so now is the time to use them for the good of the public,” she said.

Greenlight Bookstore, which has two locations in Brooklyn, is accepting online orders and plans to host book clubs through videoconferencing.