Core to our mission as Aaron's Books is creating a place for the community to gather to exchange and explore ideas. One way we have worked towards that mission in the past year has been by expanding our public events; some have been popular, while others have not generated as much interest as we expected. Among our events have been: nationally-known authors, a local candidate forum, local authors and artists, movie night, children's story time, family fun night, a week-long library fundraiser, writing workshops, theological discussions, and a variety of book groups.
We would love to hear from you about our events, and what you would like to see in 2010. Please stop in or send us an email about our events. What recent events have you enjoyed at Aaron's Books? Are there any events that failed to meet your expectations? Were there events you would have attended if they'd been at a different time? What types of events would you like us to try? Are you willing to help promote or organize an event at Aaron's Books? In other words, we need to know what events would draw an audience so that we do not fall victim to "Use Us or Lose Us".
In this time of online price wars and expansion by the big box stores, you get to decide where you want your book buying dollars to go; and your continued patronage will help us keep our doors open for many years.
Thanks for your continued support of Aaron's Books and thanks for "Lovin' Lititz".
PS- here is an excellent article from HuffingtonPost's new book section- "Why All the Fuss About 'Independent' Bookstores"
Monday, October 26, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
How Low Can You Go?
By now, you've probably heard of the book price war that is happening online... it's now a three-way battle to the bottom, with Target joining the fray today.
The truth is, the price war is really over a very small number of hardback books. These mega-conglomorates are hoping you'll visit their site for a discounted hardback novel & stay to buy a bunch of Chinese-made junk. (No offense to the Chinese.) They aren't including the trade paperbacks that our book clubs love, the Golden Books we all remember, the histories, mysteries, or spiritutal living books that we stock just for you.
So why shop with us, knowing you can get a few books for so much less somewhere else (less than we can even buy the book wholesale from the publisher)? Here's my top 10 of why NOT to fall for the "go low" trick ....
1) When you buy from us, we've actually read some of the books on our shelves (and the for ones we really like, we make sure you know it with our "staff pick" stickers and blurbs).
2) We know that JD Robb is really Nora Roberts, who herself owns a B&B and indie bookstore.
3) We can pronouce Jodi Picoult's name.
4) If you want something to go along with your ultra cheap bestseller, we can make a recommendation suited to you, and not what some computer "bot" thinks you may like based on your previous keyword search.
5) You don't have to walk (physically or virturtally) through the tire and diaper sections to see our books.
6) You can actually pick up the book, and read a few pages to test it out before buying. And you can browse books in all the other sections that interest you.
7) Will they greet your children by name and remember they like Katie Kazoo or have read all the Junie B's? We will!
8) We don't require you to search by author or title... you can browse any section and find that unexpected book that makes you smile, cry, or laugh out loud.
9) Our customer service is easy to reach... you just call out "Sam" or "Todd" from the main reading room of the store and we're there to help you.
10) When you "buy local", your money stays local. How does your community benefit when you buy from Amazon? How much support do they provide your local library? Do they buy car insurance from a local firm? Do they order their materials from a local printer? Do they offer meeting space for local groups or a train table for your kids in the play room? NOPE, NADA, NOTHING... not one dime or one second of time goes back to the community when you shop the mega-marts online!
So yes, you can save $10 today playing the "how low can you go" game, but did you really save enough to balance out all that your local independent bookstore does for your town/city/county? It comes down to choices, and sometimes making the choice to spend a few more dollars just feels right! And if you do buy the discount book, don't buy anything else. They are doing this to get you to fill your cart; don't fall for the trap. Get a bag of books you really want at your indie bookstore.
The truth is, the price war is really over a very small number of hardback books. These mega-conglomorates are hoping you'll visit their site for a discounted hardback novel & stay to buy a bunch of Chinese-made junk. (No offense to the Chinese.) They aren't including the trade paperbacks that our book clubs love, the Golden Books we all remember, the histories, mysteries, or spiritutal living books that we stock just for you.
So why shop with us, knowing you can get a few books for so much less somewhere else (less than we can even buy the book wholesale from the publisher)? Here's my top 10 of why NOT to fall for the "go low" trick ....
1) When you buy from us, we've actually read some of the books on our shelves (and the for ones we really like, we make sure you know it with our "staff pick" stickers and blurbs).
2) We know that JD Robb is really Nora Roberts, who herself owns a B&B and indie bookstore.
3) We can pronouce Jodi Picoult's name.
4) If you want something to go along with your ultra cheap bestseller, we can make a recommendation suited to you, and not what some computer "bot" thinks you may like based on your previous keyword search.
5) You don't have to walk (physically or virturtally) through the tire and diaper sections to see our books.
6) You can actually pick up the book, and read a few pages to test it out before buying. And you can browse books in all the other sections that interest you.
7) Will they greet your children by name and remember they like Katie Kazoo or have read all the Junie B's? We will!
8) We don't require you to search by author or title... you can browse any section and find that unexpected book that makes you smile, cry, or laugh out loud.
9) Our customer service is easy to reach... you just call out "Sam" or "Todd" from the main reading room of the store and we're there to help you.
10) When you "buy local", your money stays local. How does your community benefit when you buy from Amazon? How much support do they provide your local library? Do they buy car insurance from a local firm? Do they order their materials from a local printer? Do they offer meeting space for local groups or a train table for your kids in the play room? NOPE, NADA, NOTHING... not one dime or one second of time goes back to the community when you shop the mega-marts online!
So yes, you can save $10 today playing the "how low can you go" game, but did you really save enough to balance out all that your local independent bookstore does for your town/city/county? It comes down to choices, and sometimes making the choice to spend a few more dollars just feels right! And if you do buy the discount book, don't buy anything else. They are doing this to get you to fill your cart; don't fall for the trap. Get a bag of books you really want at your indie bookstore.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Tween a Rock and Hard Place...
To Tween or not to Tween, that is the question!
While at our regional conference last weekend, I went to a panel discussion on what is now being called "tween literature". The panel consisted of the executive of the American Booksellers for Children, Stephanie Anderson the great manager of WORD Brooklyn, a local expert that teaches about child and teen sexuality, and an editor or chidlren's literature.
I attended because good tween literature has become my focus recently here at Aaron's Books, stemmed from the 10 year olds that come in asking their moms to buy them "Twilight" (yay to the moms that resist their pleas).
The panel brought up the very valid point that TWEEN is nothing more than a newish marketing ploy to reach the young girls with money to burn that want to be seen as more grown up. Really we're talking about an age group that is from 9-13, and ranges vastly in sexual, emotional, and intellectual maturity. There is no one right or wrong book for this group (that in my day... waaayyy back in the 80's was called more aptly "pre-teen", and really only had Judy Blume to read).
The good books for this age group are those that do teach lessons (most tend to be about self-worth and true friendship, things young girls that are being told by the media that they are fat and ugly need to hear!). They also act as a mirror and a window, allowing the reader to see a little of themselves in the characters and also see into a different world.
So here are some shopping tips for moms of tweens (most specifically girls)
1) know what your child has been reading and likes to read, then read one of their boooks. Use this as a way to not only talk about the book, but also other issues that may come up. Why does this help in shopping? Because it means that you are more in tune with your child's interests and reading level.
2) ask for help at the store. Tell us what she may have read recently (not what grade they are in, or what grade level they read at)
3) let your child shop alone, or with the help of the store clerk. We're happy to pull 4 or 5 books that meet your criteria and share them with your daughter to help her choose an appropriate book
4) don't say NO... now I don't mean let your daughter read whatever whenever.. but don't use a blanket "NO" for any books that have a death in them, or 17 year olds that are dating, or use certain words.... that is limiting your child's exploration. If the subject matter of a book she selects is mature, see point number one. Also, if you bring your child to a bookstore and they really want a book, don't walk out empty handed... yes as a person that makes their living selling books (and let me tell you I'm not making money hand over fist!) seeing you walk out without a book hurts, but what hurts more is seing a child that came in with a gleam in their eye and a desire to read walk out with their head down and mopey because they were just told NO you can't have anything in here.
We'll be working hard in the coming months to add more and more books for the 9-13 age and interest range, but let me share with you some books we do currently have and are recommended by our staff (and by coinincidence, some these authors will be appearing at our Kid-Lit Festival in November!)
My Life In Pink and Green by Lisa Greenwald
What I Meant by Maria Lamba
The Storm in the Barn by Matt Phelan
The Dust of 100 Dogs by A.S. King (for the more mature tween, 14 and up)
The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron (illustrations by Matt Phelan)
The Cupcake Queen by Heather Hepler
The Smile by Donna Jo Napoli
Newsgirl by Liza Ketchum
Any Which Wall by Laurel Snyder
School of Fear by Gitty Danehvari
Happy Reading!
-Sam
PS- you don't have to be a "tween" to enjoy these books.... good writing is good writing for all age levels!
While at our regional conference last weekend, I went to a panel discussion on what is now being called "tween literature". The panel consisted of the executive of the American Booksellers for Children, Stephanie Anderson the great manager of WORD Brooklyn, a local expert that teaches about child and teen sexuality, and an editor or chidlren's literature.
I attended because good tween literature has become my focus recently here at Aaron's Books, stemmed from the 10 year olds that come in asking their moms to buy them "Twilight" (yay to the moms that resist their pleas).
The panel brought up the very valid point that TWEEN is nothing more than a newish marketing ploy to reach the young girls with money to burn that want to be seen as more grown up. Really we're talking about an age group that is from 9-13, and ranges vastly in sexual, emotional, and intellectual maturity. There is no one right or wrong book for this group (that in my day... waaayyy back in the 80's was called more aptly "pre-teen", and really only had Judy Blume to read).
The good books for this age group are those that do teach lessons (most tend to be about self-worth and true friendship, things young girls that are being told by the media that they are fat and ugly need to hear!). They also act as a mirror and a window, allowing the reader to see a little of themselves in the characters and also see into a different world.
So here are some shopping tips for moms of tweens (most specifically girls)
1) know what your child has been reading and likes to read, then read one of their boooks. Use this as a way to not only talk about the book, but also other issues that may come up. Why does this help in shopping? Because it means that you are more in tune with your child's interests and reading level.
2) ask for help at the store. Tell us what she may have read recently (not what grade they are in, or what grade level they read at)
3) let your child shop alone, or with the help of the store clerk. We're happy to pull 4 or 5 books that meet your criteria and share them with your daughter to help her choose an appropriate book
4) don't say NO... now I don't mean let your daughter read whatever whenever.. but don't use a blanket "NO" for any books that have a death in them, or 17 year olds that are dating, or use certain words.... that is limiting your child's exploration. If the subject matter of a book she selects is mature, see point number one. Also, if you bring your child to a bookstore and they really want a book, don't walk out empty handed... yes as a person that makes their living selling books (and let me tell you I'm not making money hand over fist!) seeing you walk out without a book hurts, but what hurts more is seing a child that came in with a gleam in their eye and a desire to read walk out with their head down and mopey because they were just told NO you can't have anything in here.
We'll be working hard in the coming months to add more and more books for the 9-13 age and interest range, but let me share with you some books we do currently have and are recommended by our staff (and by coinincidence, some these authors will be appearing at our Kid-Lit Festival in November!)
My Life In Pink and Green by Lisa Greenwald
What I Meant by Maria Lamba
The Storm in the Barn by Matt Phelan
The Dust of 100 Dogs by A.S. King (for the more mature tween, 14 and up)
The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron (illustrations by Matt Phelan)
The Cupcake Queen by Heather Hepler
The Smile by Donna Jo Napoli
Newsgirl by Liza Ketchum
Any Which Wall by Laurel Snyder
School of Fear by Gitty Danehvari
Happy Reading!
-Sam
PS- you don't have to be a "tween" to enjoy these books.... good writing is good writing for all age levels!
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