VOA标准英语2011--US Bookstore Survives Changes in Publish

US Bookstore Survives Changes in Publishing Industry

Books and bookstores, have been having a hard time in the United States in the last few years. Not long ago, large discount booksellers drove many small, independent book stores out of business. Now, those superstores are taking a hit from on-line and digital book sellers. Borders -- the country’s number two book chain -- recently declared bankruptcy¹ and Amazon says it is now selling more e-books than printed ones. But in New York City, there’s a family-owned, independent book store that is still going strong.
Family-owned business
The Strand² Book store, in New York's East Village, is surrounded by huge buildings belonging to New York University. It is more than 84 years old and is among the oldest cultural institutions in New York. It's affectionately known for the row of tables outside, filled with one-dollar books.
Nancy Bass³ Wyden, Strand's manager, is the granddaughter of the store’s founder⁴, Benjamin Bass.
Nancy and her father, Fred Bass, say the store owes at least part of its success to its location in New York City.
“We are very fortunate to be in New York City. It's the cultural center of the world. We have good access to these great libraries in used form," she notes. "We have authors coming in here all the time. We just have this kind of access that a big chain store can't have in Des Moines, Iowa.”
Nancy is married to U.S. Senator⁵ Ron Wyden. She began working at the store as a student. Her dad Fred, who is now 86, has worked here since he was 13.
Staying relevant
Although the Borders book chain has declared bankruptcy and announced plans to close its remaining stores, Fred Bass says there’s a reason Strand is still in business.
"We've got the books. We've got the books at the right price. We keep getting fresh books in. Our turnover⁶ is enormous. We buy private collections. We get material that no other bookstore carries. We've got a building here with 5 floors of books. 10,500 square feet [975 square meters] jammed with books. And there's a constant stream of books coming in,” he says.
Neil Winokur is the Strand’s book buyer.
"All day long, people… there’s a line usually all day long, people waiting to sell us books, and you go through the books and you make them an offer," he stated.
In addition to used books, the Strand has a rare book division that is the envy of major libraries.
"If you want a copy of "Huckleberry Finn," we could have 15 to 20 different kinds of varieties, including a signed Mark Twain," Wyden explained.
“Most of them are really serious collectors coming up here. We carry a lot of collectables and the price range here runs from about $15 to $45,000 -- for a copy of "Ulysses," illustrated⁷ by Matisse and signed by Matisse, but also signed by James Joyce,” Bass added.
Unique customer service
The Strand also helps people build their own book collections. Miguel Soto is the Strand’s personal library advisor⁸.
“You tell us what subjects you like, what artists you like. Do you want art books, do you want trade size, do you want biographies⁹, do you want travel books? You tell us what you need and we'll go around the store," explains Soto. "[We will] check the inventory¹⁰ and pull it for you.”
Some booksellers have seen their sales fall with the growth in electronic books. E-book sales have gone up ten times since 2008, according to an industry report.
"We've not gone the ebooks route at all. We have a lot of customers who really do not like ebooks," Wyden said. "The customers we get are very intllectual. It's not just the older professor-type peope coming in here," Bass adds. "It's younger people coming in here asking for Heidegger and Wittgenstein. Reading Aristotle and the good literary¹¹ works and things like that."
Despite the brutal¹² market for booksellers, book sales have been rising. An industry survey shows that in 2010, almost $28 billion worth of books were sold in the U.S. -- a 5.6 percent increase in two years.

1 bankruptcy   

n.破产；无偿付能力

参考例句：

• You will have to pull in if you want to escape bankruptcy.如果你想避免破产，就必须节省开支。
• His firm is just on thin ice of bankruptcy.他的商号正面临破产的危险。

2 strand   

vt.使（船）搁浅，使（某人）困于（某地）

参考例句：

• She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ears.她把一缕散发夹到了耳后。
• The climbers had been stranded by a storm.登山者被暴风雨困住了。

3 bass   

n.男低音(歌手)；低音乐器；低音大提琴

参考例句：

• He answered my question in a surprisingly deep bass.他用一种低得出奇的声音回答我的问题。
• The bass was to give a concert in the park.那位男低音歌唱家将在公园中举行音乐会。

4 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

5 senator   

n.参议员，评议员

参考例句：

• The senator urged against the adoption of the measure.那参议员极力反对采取这项措施。
• The senator's speech hit at government spending.参议员的讲话批评了政府的开支。

6 turnover   

n.人员流动率，人事变动率；营业额，成交量

参考例句：

• The store greatly reduced the prices to make a quick turnover.这家商店实行大减价以迅速周转资金。
• Our turnover actually increased last year.去年我们的营业额竟然增加了。

7 illustrated   

adj. 有插图的，列举的 动词illustrate的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• His lecture was illustrated with slides taken during the expedition. 他在讲演中使用了探险时拍摄到的幻灯片。
• The manufacturing Methods: Will be illustrated in the next chapter. 制作方法将在下一章说明。

8 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

9 biographies   

n.传记( biography的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There are plenty of biographies for him to browse over. 有大量传记供他浏览。 来自辞典例句
• He likes to read biographies of great men to promote himself. 他喜欢读伟人传记来提高自己。 来自互联网

10 inventory   

n.详细目录，存货清单

参考例句：

• Some stores inventory their stock once a week.有些商店每周清点存货一次。
• We will need to call on our supplier to get more inventory.我们必须请供应商送来更多存货。

11 literary   

adj.文学（上）的

参考例句：

• Literary works of this kind are well received by the masses.这样的文学作品很受群众欢迎。
• The book was favourably noticed in literary magazines.这本书在文学杂志上得到好评。

12 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。