As I walked out on the streets of Laredo,
As I walked out in Laredo one day,
I stopped in the mall just to visit the bookstore.
The bookstore was closed, it’s been taken away.
The only bookstore in Laredo, Texas, a city of 250,000 people, has closed. The nearest one is 150 miles away in San Antonio.
On the one hand, I think it’s very sad. On the other, I imagine Laredo has libraries. And on the third hand, it’s pretty indicative of the sad state of publishing today. 🙁
Libraries, and people with internet access and credit cards can order online…but even Amazon’s recommendation system just isn’t the same as physically browsing a shelf of books and looking to see what grabs you.
Laredo and books are in the news again: They’re starting a digital library. https://www.infodocket.com/2018/02/21/texas-city-of-laredo-to-move-forward-with-an-all-digital-library-project/