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My theory on this is
buy from where you'd like to be able to shop in the future.
For instance, if you like having a local independent bookstore, buy your books there - that way, you're helping to ensure that they stay in business.
You can also check out Indiebound to help you find independent bookstores!
There are of course still some chain bookstores like Barnes and Nobel and Borders - again, buy your books where you want to keep being able to shop for them.
If you want to order a book on-line, check out Powells (a large independent bookstore that I really like, and that I've chosen to team up with here on this website - when you click a book cover on a book post at this blog, it usually takes you to the Powells page for that book. (Full disclosure: I'm part of an 'partners program' with Powells, which gives me a commission for business I send their way.)
Of course, there are other, larger online stores as well - Amazon is a giant, and often works with Affiliates to offer them commission on any click-throughs. So, if you're shopping Amazon, go to them through blogs or websites or organizations you'd like to support.
And if you can't afford to buy all the books you'd like to, contact your local library - either get the book there (the more GLBTQ Teen books circulate, the more librarians will see the books are in demand and the more GLBTQ Teen books they'll buy for their collections), or if they don't have the book, see if you can request they either purchase it for their collection or get it for you through the inter-library loan system. (I've gotten books from clear across the country this way!)
Thanks for asking, and happy reading!
Namaste,
Lee
2 comments:
What a great topic!
My favorite place to buy a book is an independent bookstore. Most of the landmark independent bookstores that I grew up with in New York City went out of business because of competition from B & N, among other reasons. Coliseum, Verso, Murder Inc, Blackout, A Different Light, The Oscar Wilde Book Store, Twelfth Street Books, East West Books, Lenox Hill Bookstore, Gotham Book Mart--all gone. I know I have to support an independent bookstore if I want it to stay in my neighborhood.
My favorite place to buy books online is Charis, http://www.charisbooksandmore.com/ an independent feminist bookstore in Atlanta. They specialize in LGBT stuff. I also buy from Powell's, because they're a union shop and that's important to me. Rare or out-of-print books I get at Alibris.
But most of my books come from the library. I'm a heavy heavy user of Inter-Library Loan. It's pretty much the best thing ever.
I want to add a "hear hear" to the suggestion of contacting your local library. Among other things, purchasing is based on what people ask for and what people check out. Unfortunately, if nobody asks for GLBT books, they don't get bought as often as another copy of the vampire romance that shall not be named. Also, some libraries use that as an excuse not to buy GLBT books. "Well, nobody asks for them. Nobody reads them. Clearly that's not a part of our community." Which we all know is utter rot. Most libraries have a "suggest a title!" option on their website. Use it!!
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