To many teenagers, reading can appear to be a mundane and overpriced activity, but this most always is not the case. According to the American Psychological Association, less than 20% of U.S. teens report reading a book for daily enjoyment whereas over 80% report the use of social media for their entertainment. For teenagers feeling this way, the new Goodwill Bookstore in Washington Square could be the solution to boredom and overuse of social media.
Living during a digital age and an inflated economy has proven to be an obstacle for many industries to remain afloat. This is especially true for the book industry. With books costing so much and being available online, we hardly see teens reaching for a physical book anymore, if at all. The Goodwill Bookstore however, has made reading for accessible and cost-effective.
With thousands of books, from picture books to lengthy science fiction novels, there is truly something for everyone within this store. I was pleased to find some of my personal favorites stocked with multiple copies upon the shelves all at low cost.
The store is clean, organized and well-maintained so books being defected, tourn or tattered is not an issue. While some older books may show some reasonable wear and tear, generally the books are quite clean and in good condition.
At the bookstore, every single book only costs $4 whether it be a children’s book or a cookbook. Shoppers can gain a versatile selection of literature without breaking the bank, which is always helpful in this economy. Each aisle is clearly labeled with the genre as well as the books being alphabetized by authors’ last name so finding what you are looking for is easy.
One thing I have found myself using the bookstore for is school books. My teacher recommends that we each purchase our own personal copy of each book we read in the school year, which can get pretty pricey if you are purchasing them new. However, I was able to find a copy of both 1984 and The Great Gatsby at the bookstore, saving me almost $20.
Additionally, the bookstore also is helpful for those in AP classes. The store has an entire aisle dedicated to textbooks of all sorts, and I saw an abundance of AP textbooks. While these textbooks are often provided by the school, having your own copy to mark up and study with for the test can always be helpful, especially when it is budget friendly.
For my own use, the bookstore has helped rekindle and continue my love for reading. Seeing all the titles, new and old, of books I have yet to read with prices I can actually afford brought out the reader in me.
I hope with the accessibility and affordability of the new bookstore, more teens will consider reading for fun in their free time or at the very least, using it as a resource for their school books.
No matter what your purpose for using the store is, I would highly recommend it as a place to purchase books. I would make sure to check for the book you’re looking for at the bookstore before wasting additional money on a brand new copy.
Reading books online is just not the same as having the paper copy right there in your hands. With the rise of technology, paper copies have become more and more of a scarcity in our society. So I urge you to discover the greatness that lies within a physical copy of, possibly, your new favorite book.
