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As we enter the digital age, many bookstores are closing, from the small, independent stores to even the megachains that once threatened smaller stores. Bookstores of all shapes and sizes can offer more than sales: book clubs, author readings, and other live events, as well as a general sense of community. Though their aim is more commercial, many bookstores have taken on roles once assigned to public libraries, as social gathering spaces for readers. But just as libraries now face slashed budgets, many bookstores find it difficult to compete with the discounts of online retailers, or the convenience of e-books. In many cases, a customer choosing a local bookstore over online options will essentially mean agreeing to pay a higher price to support the face-to-face social interaction of brick-and-mortar bookstores.