Beijing, April 23rd (Reporter Shangguan Yun): Innovative and distinctive decoration, ingenious book display, and accompanying coffee and water bar … … Nowadays, this "online celebrity Bookstore" similar to the cultural consumption space has attracted a large number of fans with its high value.
However, the purpose of people going to bookstores in the early days was generally clear: buying books or reading books. However, in the eyes of a large number of people who walk into "online celebrity Bookstore", books are not the key point, but taking pictures is: finding the angle, posing, pressing the shutter, and you’re POSE.
Bookstores are becoming more and more beautiful, but some people’s focus is not on books? On the eve of World Book Day, the reporter learned during the interview that the above phenomenon is not uncommon. Moreover, even the "online celebrity Bookstore" needs to think deeply about how to improve people’s reading enthusiasm.
Warm memories in the old bookstore
Bookstores carry many people’s warmest reading memories, as they did decades ago.
Liu Yida, a writer and author of Tao Beijing, especially likes visiting bookstores since childhood. In the past, his impression of bookstores mainly came from Xinhua Bookstore, in addition, there were China Bookstore, which monopolized ancient books and used books, as well as foreign language bookstores and children’s bookstores.
At that time, bookstores were mostly old-fashioned wooden doors with high steps, and books of different categories were stacked behind the counter. The shop assistant wears uniform overalls and sleeves, and occasionally takes a feather duster to clean up the dust. Readers will say hello to which book they like, turn it over first, and make out the invoice and pay the money when it is suitable.
Because there is no money, Liu Yida will go to read books with her classmates. The shop assistant didn’t tell the truth, still handed the book in a friendly way, watching a group of children squatting under the counter against time to finish reading the book, and at most reminded them when they were leaving work.
After the reform and opening up, a large number of foreign classics were introduced, and bookstores became a place where people gathered together. Liu Yida once rode a bicycle to "patrol shops" all over the city, and once got up at three or four in the morning to queue up, perhaps just to buy a copy of Resurrection.
If you can’t buy your favorite books, some readers will stay near the bookstore and exchange their books with others. Liu Yida once traded two books by Russian writers for Zola’s Nana.
"Today’s young people may find it difficult to understand people’s enthusiasm for bookstores and books at that time." Liu Yida sighed.
From experiencing the cold winter to "breaking the shell"
With the east wind of economic development, private bookstores were once very good. However, it didn’t take too long for the physical bookstore to usher in the "cold winter" in the mouth of the industry: the closure of Beijing roof of the world Bookstore and the closure of Photosynthetic Bookstore & HELIP; … Physical bookstores such as Shanghai Thinking Music Bookstore also withdrew.
According to statistics, from 2002 to 2012, especially after 2011, there was a large-scale collapse of private bookstores. In fact, even if some physical bookstores don’t have relevant stores, they need to move because of a series of reasons such as rising rents and e-commerce shocks.
With the development of the Internet, fragmented reading methods have gradually spread, and fewer and fewer people seem willing to go into bookstores to buy books and read books as before. More and more people are calling for "protecting the development of physical bookstores".
In recent years, with the support of favorable policies, some traditional bookstores began to seek changes by taking advantage of the situation; Some characteristic physical bookstores have gradually taken root: new chain bookstores such as Sisyph and Yanjiyou appear in front of people … …
Unconsciously, physical bookstores are quietly picking up, and readers have more good places to go.
The hustle and bustle of "online celebrity Bookstore"
However, some readers obviously find that some bookstores now are a little different from the past: not only are the interior decorations particularly novel, but also various lectures and cultural activities are held; They also sell coffee or light meals. People seem to have added another purpose to the bookstore: taking pictures.
The Page One Bookstore in Qianmen, Beijing, once painted a wave of screens with its beautiful bookstore interior design: the tall "Tongtian Book Wall", which is like the roof of the starry sky … … It has attracted many readers to punch in, and it is called "online celebrity Bookstore".
Nowadays, it is not uncommon to find a high-value "online celebrity Bookstore". It’s just a little embarrassing: quite a few people come to it, the main purpose is not to study, but to find angles, pose, and then take pictures and make friends, and you’re done.
On the weekend before World Reading Day, in the Page One Bookstore near Qianmen, the reporter roughly counted six or seven readers taking pictures in about five minutes. Professional, and brought a camera.
"Bookstores are places to spread knowledge. You don’t have to buy books or listen to lectures. At least do something related to books and reading." A young reader half-jokingly "spits" that bookstores are getting better and better, but it doesn’t seem to attract readers in direct proportion to this.
Bookstores are getting more and more beautiful. Why didn’t the reading of paper books go up much?
Not long ago, the main findings of the 16th National Reading Survey were released. The data showed that the average reading volume of paper books for China adults in 2018 was only 4.67, which was basically the same as 4.66 in 2017.
Therefore, some people ask, bookstores have become more beautiful and have more complete functions. Why don’t people read more paper books?
Writer Sanshi believes that the increase of high-value bookstores and online celebrity bookstores is a good phenomenon in itself. "This is the result of the transformation and upgrading of physical bookstores in recent years, with the purpose of attracting readers’ attention and stimulating the public’s desire to read."
"Readers are keen to punch in and take photos at online celebrity Bookstore, which has an objective propaganda effect and can let more people know about the bookstore." Sanshi said, however, these "online celebrity-style" photo traffic needs to be effectively converted into the traffic for readers to read.
On the other hand, the popularity of mobile phones, short videos and live broadcasts has also squeezed out too much time for readers. The fast-paced life and the fragmented way of obtaining information make it difficult for many people to even have the patience to finish reading a novel.
"For bookstores, what needs to be considered is how to hold interesting activities, so that people who simply punch in and take pictures are attracted by the fun of reading and take the initiative to buy books to study. This is combined with other reading promotion activities to promote the increase of people’s reading. " Sanshi said that this is the responsibility of bookstores to spread knowledge, but it may be a long process. (End)
