Be Local: Relax with a Good Book from a Local Retailer | BeLocal Network

Editor’s Note: This is a weekly series focusing on the importance of buying local.

The joy of curling up or going to a favorite place with a good book is not lost on many avid readers.

It must be celebrated and it will be Monday on National Book Lovers Day.

There are a number of reasons why people love to read books.

For Christina Zaccone of Washington County, it’s about having fun, learning, and being open to new things and aspects of life.

“I read or listen to probably seven or eight books a week,” she said. “Really, I listen to a lot of political books and I read a lot of fluffy novels (books). I take my Kindle everywhere and read a lot while sitting (at her daughter’s house) singing.

” I do not watch TV. I like to learn to read things that I would not have known. I am a fast player and a television, and the movies move slowly for me.

Zaccone said she read a series of books on breeding and horses that opened her to new interests such as barrel racing.

“Books can take you to places you wouldn’t normally visit,” she said.

Local bookstores, libraries and thrift stores have benefited from a recent surge in book reading, much of which was an impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic that began in mid-March 2020 .

One of these independent stores – Beyond Bedtime Books on avenue Potomac in Dormont – has benefited.

The local bookstore has a large selection of new and used books, rare and out of print books, a children’s room, and a popular selection of unique greeting cards.

“We’re always happy to recommend books based on our readers’ preferences,” the store reports on its website www.beyondbedtimebooks.com. “If we don’t have a particular book you want, we’ll be happy to order it for you. “

According to www.nationaldaycalendar.com, National Book Lover’s Day “is a day for anyone who enjoys reading, finding a favorite place to read, a good book – whether fictional or not – and reading all day long. .

Along with several recent developments, book manufacturers are using digital printing. The pages of the book are printed using toner rather than ink. Thanks to digital printing, print-on-demand opens up a whole new field of publishing.

In this case, distributors do not print the books until the customer has placed an order. More and more people are reading e-books, which refers to publication in the form of a book in digital form.

Electronic books are generally available for purchase on the Internet. However, they can also be found on CD-ROMs and other systems. E-books can be read on a computer or through a portable book display device called an e-book reader, such as a Reader, Nook, or Kindle.

Due to a vision problem, New Eagle’s Holly Tonini had to switch from reading traditional books to electronic devices. Tonini took advantage of the Washington County library system and another library system in Carnegie.

She read 102 books in 2020, up from over 70 in 2019. So far this year, she has read 42 books. Tonini keeps an assiduous register of the books she reads.

“I started reading books about horses and riding and they are a passion for me,” said Tonini. “I like stories on the heart and I read a certain kind of romance. I don’t do well with suspense. I like anything that makes me laugh. I like fiction less, but I’m going to read a bit of it, romance and mystery with a lighter touch.

“I read as much as I can. Due to my inability to type the next line in a book, I had to switch to electronics and it slowed me down a bit. But the libraries have been great and made it possible to continue getting books during the pandemic, even when you couldn’t physically get there. “

AAP StatShot Report on U.S. Book Sales in 2020 Reveals Strong Year for Commercial Books, Up Nearly 10%, But There Have Been Declines in Primary and Higher Education Materials Revenue . Audiobooks completed 2020 up 16.5%.

According to www.statista.com, US book sales revenue in 2020 was $ 8.6 billion, of which $ 3.4 billion was from hardcover books. Meanwhile, paperbacks and mainstream books hit $ 2.82 billion, which is in line with trends showing steady growth in this field since 2017.

Joe Harris of Washington has said he enjoys reading and projecting himself into history.

He has a preference for reading history books, mysteries and legal dramas.

“I like to pretend I’m in the story,” Harris said. “I really like the history books and immersing myself in the history as if I was there, either involved or watching what is going on.

Additionally, Harris said he enjoys science fiction and reads more in the winter than in the summer.

“My mom and dad always read a lot and my brother and I went to the library every two weeks to refuel,” he said.

Those interested in joining the Be Local network can contact Chris Slota at 724-225-1326 or by email at [email protected] Discount cards are available at the Observer-Reporter and Almanac office, 122 S. Main St., Washington.