It’s safe to say that the bulk of the NA Confidential readership knows Randy Smith and Ann Baumgartle Smith, proprietors of Destinations Booksellers, quite well – as do our credit card companies.
Most of us share in the conviction that a locally owned bookstore is very important to a recovering downtown New Albany, and it hasn’t escaped our notice that both Randy and Ann are heavily involved with civic affairs and have occupied leading positions in advocating downtown revitalization.
Therefore, it’s great to learn that Randy has returned to the blogosphere. You’ll recall that previously he authored “Volunteer Hoosier,” and later contributed to NAC. Appropriately, Randy’s new launch is all about books. Here’s the location, followed by an excerpt from the Destinations e-newsletter that explains the format.
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NA Books Daily
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If you're the type who's always scanning for book reviews in USA Today, the WSJ, the NYT, or any of the other book reviews and local papers, the type who keeps a notepad by the couch to write down books mentioned on TV, or the type who endangers other commuters trying to jot down the intriguing book you heard about on "Fresh Air," then I'm giving you another option.
… We're launching NA Books Daily, a Web log (blog) with digestible nuggets about books and the books business. I'll offer you views on big news about books, hot issues, upcoming and favorite books, etc.
Almost daily, we bring in new books that I just know several of you would love to read if only you knew they existed.
When a book gets hot here, I'll try to let you know. When I've picked a book for you (you know who you are), you won't have to miss it because you didn't know it existed.
I invite you to join us at NA Books Daily. Feel free to link to it in your own e-mails or blogs. Comments are open and my e-mail is always available for private comments, too.
Come every day if you like. I promise to post SOMETHING each day. Or drop in from time to time to see what books and issues have caught my interest. We hope you'll find it edifying and who knows, you might just drop a little cash at your hometown bookstore.
As Randy correctly points out in one of his postings, The Small-Mart Revolution by Michael Shuman, which currently tops the recommended list, should be required reading for anyone who thinks that economic development and community revitalization matters at any level.
ReplyDeleteShuman not only offers well researched thinking but has proven his theories true with his own money. Just having that book on the shelf, let alone opening the store with all the others, is a community service.