Librarians rally to save independent bookstores (Canada)

"The closure of three independent Vancouver bookstores in three months has teacher-librarians worried. Duthie Books closed in March, Once Upon a Huckleberry Bush shut its doors in April and Sophia Books is closing at the end of the month. At their annual general meeting May 17, teacher-librarians will discuss asking the city and provincial government to help preserve independent bookstores. Elly Werb, a teacher-librarian at Trafalgar elementary near Macdonald Street and West King Edward, says local governments could follow the example of Paris, France where a community development agency partly owned by the city has purchased retail spaces and leased them back at market or below-market rents to shopkeepers who agree to continue to sell specific items like books. But she isn't hopeful the province would spend money to support independent bookshops"