Santa Barbara Bookstores Are Open During the Pandemic | Coronavirus - Santa Barbara Independent

How to get books from neighborhood stores and public libraries, inform Nick Welsh, Author at The Santa Barbara Independent.

Chairs are empty at the Santa Barbara Library but books are available for delivery
Photo: Santa Barbara Public Library

Reading ranks as one of the most powerful collective magic tricks yet to be pulled off by the human species.With books, you have the increasingly rare power to select your own alternative reality, if only for a few moments. 

The good news is that Santa Barbara still has several truly great local bookstores, and while their doors aren’t open, they’re working hard to stay alive. Most offer curbside pick-up. Many provide free shipping within the South Coast. Some do free gift wrapping, as well. All, I think, would be happy to sell you a gift certificate. And with most, you can get an actual human being on the phone, if need be. 

In Santa Barbara’s bookstore scene, Chaucer’s remains the center of gravity, offering a richer selection of pretty much everything in any category than probably makes strict commercial sense. The people at Chaucer’s are extremely helpful and will treat you right. But given how we’ve all become all virtual shut-ins, it’s probably better to contact them via e-mail at www.chaucersbooks.com. There you browse and graze to your heart’s content and then wonder what you did with your day.
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Source: Santa Barbara Independent