This year’s holiday shopping is a bit different than normal. Stores are struggling to find the best ways to sanitize, allow for social distancing and provide a safe yet inviting environment for shoppers.
Local book lovers must forego a trip to On the Side Books, the used bookstore on Kennedy Street.
Store owner Heather Whittemore decided that the shutdown of non-essential businesses in the spring was a good incentive to renovate the bookstore, prepping for the days when she could open the doors and welcome patrons again.
Ongoing and changing restrictions related to COVID-19 have made that a challenge even as the calendar prepares to roll into 2021.
Bookstore feline residents Purrcy Jackson and Arya are foregoing the attention of those who typically would wander the store on a hunt for a new book to read. The practice of sanitizing used books after patrons have touched them is just not practical, Whittemore said. The Bradford Public Library currently quarantines books that are returned for a period before returning them to the shelves. That approach for the bookstore would be time-consuming and could get confusing, Whittemore said.
There are, however, ways to shop local authors through a website affiliated with Whittemore’s store. The website, https://bookshop.org/shop/onthesidebooks, offers local authors and new titles in one convenient location.
Fiction, non-fiction, young adult and young reader selections are available by category. Visiting https://www.onthesidebooks.com/shop/local-authors/ leads to a varied list of local authors, with works focusing on anything from baseball, to poetry, some local history and even true crime.
Whittemore also introduced digital gift cards in various denominations for the store. In order to purchase one and have it affiliated with On the Side Books, first visit https://bookshop.org/shop/onthesidebooks, then click the link at the bottom of the page for gift cards. The On the Side Books logo should be visible at the top of the page. In order to redeem a gift card, this is also the page to use.
