I remember several years ago when I’d asked my husband for a dictionary for Christmas. A real, 30-pound dictionary that could also be used to hold down papers on my desk when the windows were open. He went to one of the major U.S. booksellers and asked the sales clerk for an unabridged dictionary. She looked confused and typed it into her computer. “We don’t have that,” she said. “How can you not have a dictionary?” he asked. My husband looked over her shoulder at the computer screen where the clerk had typed in “on a bridge dictionary”. This is when we realized we needed to stick with our local independent booksellers.

Whenever we visit our local bookstore, we can ask questions much more complicated than “Do you have a dictionary?” and we get an informed answer. The magazine shelves are filled with hard-to-find publications, and the bookshelves house much more than the usual mass market selections. We can still get a great cup of coffee, and if we want to hear a bluegrass band on a Friday night or learn Italian on Thursdays, that’s available too. And the staff is working there not just to cover the rising cost of beer and tuition, but because they love books, they’re obsessed with books, and they want to share their love and obsession with the community.

There are numerous reasons to support your local bookseller. During the holiday season find yours, go hang out, ask lots of questions. That’s what these people live for - they want to talk about books as much as you do, and I’ll bet you won’t find a single one that will send you looking for a dictionary on a bridge.