Open Book promotes sustainable reading
Books are one of the foundations of learning, but also one of the most significantly overproduced and overpriced items. However, for people who have been looking for a more ethical way to find their favorite book in print, The Open Book could be a perfect solution. With a newly opened nearby location in the Oaks Mall, Open Book is a used bookstore with a 90% secondhand inventory of books of all genres.
Paloma Cortes, manager of the Simi Valley Open Book location, cherishes the unique features that the store holds in comparison to other bookstores. “My favorite part is we have different editions and older editions of books that you might not see in other places. I am a huge fan of collecting classics that I’ve never seen the covers of before, especially in the ‘70s, they had a lot of really cool paperbacks, so I love getting those,” Cortes said.
Along with selling used books, Open Book also creates a place for communities to gather, holding many different events such as book clubs, creative writing groups and even scrapbook days. “We do a little bit of everything. [The events] are kind of what our interests align with with everybody at the store, so that we go [into] it with passion,” Cortes said.
Allie Teresi, book clerk, has been working at the Oaks Open Book location since its recent opening and noted the importance of reading during childhood, which the bookstore helps to promote. “I think [reading] is good for the imagination and reading teaches you things. I mean, there’s so many things that I learned just because I read about them, and I think it’s a really good way to learn about the world around you and how you fit into it,” Teresi said.
Teresi also spoke on how, with the rise of Artificial Intelligence [AI] and digital media, they believe opening and reading a physical book is more beneficial. “[AI] can’t copy the human experience. And I think it’s important that we as humans keep writing things down, chronicling all of it,” Teresi said. Teresi believes that, especially during the current age, where physical media is becoming increasingly unpopular, it is important that people continue reading, and these stories continue to be told. “I think when stories die, so do we,” Teresi said.
Miguel Cruz, another book clerk, has had the joy of interacting with and hearing stories from Open Book’s customers. “My favorite part [of] interacting with customers is [that] a lot of them have different stories that they say. Some are unprompted, but they just come in and tell me the story about a book they’ve read, or a gift they want to get somebody. So it’s one of those meaningful things where it’s cool to learn how everybody sees books,” Cruz said. Similar to Cortes, Cruz also appreciates secondhand books not only for the history they hold but also the sustainability they promote. “We’re reviving old books that people have used, and I think it’s awesome because you’re getting that rich history with these books and knowing the fact, like, somebody has read this before it got into your hands, I think that’s what makes us different,” Cruz said.
As expressed by Cortes, Teresi and Cruz, bookstores are essential, not only for educational purposes, but also to serve as third spaces for people of all ages, and Open Book’s welcoming staff and calm environment serve as a great source of both. “I think that it’s really important to create a place where people feel welcome and they can meet like-minded people, and just a place where everyone feels welcome and everyone feels accepted,” Cortes said.
