I’ve nearly blown my first resolution to make some decent resolutions.  Usually they boil down to “do better”  which is less than desirable in specificity.  And I have to make a few goals for the store every year.  I’ll list them here and open them up for comment, in the interest of #1 of course!  Notice I do not resolve to have a neat and orderly back room.  As of January 10th, and 150 people bringing us books, from one bag to 12 boxes per batch, I am not foolish enough to think I can keep that resolution beyond one day.

1.     Keep blog alive as communication tool with customers

2.     Keep store alive as a community asset and as a community of book lovers

3.     Don’t buy so many old books for store:  I obviously love old and vintage books and tend to load the shelves with them.  Obviously too, I am a minority here and need to leave room on the shelves for the popular contemporary works.

4.     Keep buying old books:  If used book stores and libraries don’t keep old books on the shelves, how else will they be rediscovered?  How will we combat ebooks if the old books are forgotten? What about all of those wonderful illustrations and covers?  I don’t know about the wisdom of stocking old books from a business perspective, but I do feel a little like a crusader here – I just need to remember BALANCE, right?

5.     Make fewer mistakes.  Well there are not too many, but I sure hate them and feel terrible, so less would be better.

6.     Make more room for western history and nature writers, again.  Shrink sociology, womens studies, and political science, again. 

7.      Shrink Religion and Christian Living, again.  These books come in by the ton, and virtually none leave.  If you have interests, better let me know, because I am NOT stocking so many any more otherwise. 

8.    Display childrens  books better to generate interest:  The reality is that few children browse for books anymore.  They either come in knowing what they want or see something interesting right in front of them.  There are MANY wonderful kids books on the shelves, as sellers we need to try and be familiar with as many as possible and display them well in order to point kids in the right directions.  I can’t read them all, so keep feeding me your recommendations please!

9.     Have more storytimes.  I know perfectly well that I enjoy reading stories more than the listenees enjoy listening, but hey, SOMETIMES they remember and look for a wonderful book!

10.   Read more books.  Of course that should be on the personal resolution list, but I can’t give any decent recommendations if I haven’t read the book, which makes it a CAREER REQUIREMENT, and therefore not a selfish indulgence to read instead of doing laundry.

I do look forward to enjoying another year with my wonderful customers.  Thank you for your kind words, patience and support.  May your 2011 be richly blessed, and full of good books!