Libreria, a new London bookshop offers literature lovers a refuge from the digital world. A retreat where mobile phones and tablets are banned. A place where visitors are encouraged to immerse themselves in the pleasure of physical books. A ‘digital detox’ zone may well be your idea of a bookstore nirvana, but here at BSL we know that a love of books and the digital world are not mutually exclusive.
Browsing books, not the internet
Literature lovers who visit Libreria in East London find themselves in a bookshop that lets them escape from the deluge of digital distractions that are part and parcel of modern life. If you’re spotted picking up your phone or tablet to browse the internet rather than the books on display – let alone text, post or communicate with anyone outside the shop’s four walls – you’ll be requested (politely) to stop!
One of the pleasures of browsing in a physical bookshop is unexpected discoveries. Encountering books and authors outside of your comfort zone. At Libreria this idea of ‘creative collision’ is taken one step further. Books are grouped together to reflect loose themes, such as ‘family’ or ’the sea and the sky’ rather than orthodox categories or genres. So every visit to Libreria is a voyage into the unknown, offering many opportunities for new discoveries.
A literary meeting place – Libreria
Part of Libreria’s philosophy is to reawaken the art of real-life conversation and debate. Stimulated partly by the store’s layout, but also by hosting literary events and talks. And Libreria aren’t alone in this. Other bookshops are trying a similar approach, creating a buoyant global industry built around literary talks and storytelling events.
Literature lovers and the digital age
The success of bookshops such as Libreria show that predictions of digital technology leading to the death of the physical book are premature. In fact, figures from the Association of American Publishers showed a 10% fall in e-book sales between January and May 2015. Data indicates that most regular readers are using both paper books and e-books, alternating between the two.
In other words, it’s not only possible for the world of literature and the digital world to co-exist, they can even complement each other! Libreria’s customers may welcome a place where phones and tablets are banned, but many Literature lovers have discovered the digital world has much to offer too. Our own Boekwijzer app is a wonderful example of the meeting of these two worlds.
Information at your fingertips
In the hands of software developers with the right experience and skills, literary data and databases are a potential treasure trove of information for booklovers. Here at BSL we have that very expertise in-house! Bookstores and public libraries put physical books in your hand. Our engineers and designers help put the digital world of literature at your fingertips, working with key organizations in the Dutch literary world.
Over the years, we’ve developed and designed a range of online services and products for the Dutch National Library Service (KB), the Dutch Boeksellers Organisation (KBb) , and last but not least NBD Biblion, the leading provider of information and acquisition advice for the library- and education branch in the Netherlands. Take for instance the KB’s popular Literatuurplein website, where anyone interested in Dutch literature can find a wealth of information about books, authors and literary events. Or the NBD’s online AIDA order system. And of course, don’t forget our Boekwijzer app, where booklovers can access the entire catalog of literature available in the Netherlands.
More information
If you’d like to find out more about BSL’s involvement in the literary world, or how you can make the most of your valuable content, then take a look at our portfolio!
