I sat in class and watched the ticking clock. Just before the bell rang, my English teacher called out and told his impatient students to not forget to begin reading their Shakespeare book. I sighed with impatience and trudged out of class, already anticipating the long drive to the bookstore only to find the required book sold out. Unfortunately, this is a situation that all students of Eastlake High School have gone through. Why? Because there is no bookstore in our widespread community, which in itself is an oddity. The nearest bookstore can be found in the Chula Vista Mall or the Plaza Bonita Mall, and both bookstores are tiny compared to the big chains such as Barnes and Noble or Borders. Considering the amount of schools crammed in and around the Eastlake Community, one would think a bookstore needed to be built for the convenience of the students and just for the citizens of the community.
Some people reason that there is no need to build a bookstore since there is a public library right inside the high school. However, the library simply is not adequate enough for the community in regards to selection and hours it is open. According to Jim Trelease, owner of the Trelease on Reading website, libraries are open the fewest hours on Saturday and Sunday which is when 42% of sales in bookstores are done, the library also does not have a large enough selection and rarely buys new books. According to Mindy Grundmeier, a woman who haws a masters degree in library and information science, bookstores stock popular books while libraries strive to put together a selection of goods. Additionally, bookstores are better than most because of convenience and selection. Because libraries do not yield as much yearly income as bookstores, they cannot afford to buy all the books that citizens of a community might desire, no matter how much they strive to do so. Libraries tend to have older books and therefore books that do not hold great appeal to the younger generation. Some people also enjoy collecting books in order to reread them or just to start their own collection. This need can not be met by libraries, just like all the other requirements listed above.
Having a bookstore in the neighborhood is also better for the student po0pulation of Eastlake. According to the Operon Foundation (1999), statistics have shown that reading improves the vocabulary and reading comprehension of students. Additionally, the Focus on Your Child Organization research shows that children who read better tend to write better and concentrate better. Bookstores tend to have friendlier atmospheres which encourage people to come in, browse, read, and perhaps make a purchase. A bookstore is very conducive to reading and relaxation, a good way to draw the youth in. bookstores are useful for these reasons as well as being convenient when a teacher assigns a book one must by in order to read. Since bookstores have a wide selection, students have a good chance of finding the books they need. However, if they find their needed book sold out, it would not be inconvenient to come back another time if the bookstore were close by.
Bookstores also provide a place for students to go after school. The library at Eastlake closes directly after school and opens again at 3:30 pm. Since school gets out at 2:15 pm, that is a one hour and fifteen minute block of time during which a student can waste time and do nothing. If there were a bookstore in one of the shopping centers close to Eastlake High School, students would go there during that time and spend their day productively. With a bookstore, students can go there to hang out and do a little reading which would then contribute to a better vocabulary. According to Trelease, nearly all bookstores are filled with cafes, couches, and places to study at, and they don�t close until 11:00 pm. These conditions are much more encouraging for students to stay and read, I myself have often longed for a bookstore to hang out at while I waited for my older sister to finish with her after school activities. The lack of a bookstore nearby is a need students feel acutely.
Many students feel deprived of a fundamental resource since Eastlake has a noticeable absence of bookstores. Such a bookstore would be a benefit to our community. Other dedicated and intelligent students feel that the Eastlake community desperately needs a bookstore. We need a bookstore to supplement the library, to provide children and others a conducive environment in which to read and to give students an opportunity to improve themselves and ultimately the community.
