Friendly
Rivals
Observations on Libraries and
Bookstores
Michael Gilroy
INFO 650
5/3/2009
Michael Gilroy
INFO 650
5/3/2009
Bookstores and the public library both service the general public. The major difference
between them is libraries lend books out for free, while a bookstore such as Barnes & Noble sells
them for profit. On the surface, this difference would seemingly lead to a natural rivalry. As the
saying goes, “Why pay for what you can get for free?” However, the reality of the situation is
that commercial bookstores and libraries share the common goal of promoting literacy. This
commonality attracts a certain audience. This audience is typically a clever crowd, with a
passion for reading. Like all people, this crowd enjoys relaxation, convenience, and a pleasant
atmosphere. Both institutions do their very best to service their patrons by giving them a place
where they can come and enjoy themselves. They also strive to please their patrons by getting
them the material they are seeking. However, Barnes & Noble benefits from unrivaled ambience
that entices customers to stay and browse. Libraries, on the other hand, pride themselves on
building collections to service the unique needs of their local community. Instead of
competition, Barnes & Noble and libraries should cooperate and learn from one another, while
striving to promote literacy. Barnes & Noble will always seek a profit, while libraries will
always be a free public service. Instead of outright competition they should come together in a
mutually beneficial “friendly rivalry.”
The rivalry between bookstores and libraries is an interesting one. Perhaps the most
interesting thing about it is that neither institution can really compete with the other. Libraries
will never be able to afford the fixtures, the variety, or the Starbucks Café, while Barnes & Noble
will never be able to lend their products out for free, or provide a wide variety of regular
community programming. In a strong economy, people flock to Barnes & Noble. In times of
economic turmoil, however, library usage soars1. In order to understand the differences between
1
Malkin, Whitney. "Recession sending more patrons to small libraries."
particular Barnes & Noble outlets and libraries, it is important to understand the general
differences between the two.
Professional consensus seems to imply that libraries have a lot they can learn from
bookstores. One of the most basic lessons to be learned from bookstores is about ambience.
One of the major reasons Barnes & Noble is successful, is the simple aesthetics of the store.
According to Steve Coffman2 Barnes & Noble fancies itself “reminiscent of an old-world library,
with wood fixtures, antique-style chairs and public tables, and ample public space...” People
associate books with antiques. By using old fashioned, sturdy wooden fixtures, and large
comfortable antique chairs they created an atmosphere of quality and charm. The old-fashioned
veneer is attractive, comfortable, and inviting. Coupled with good lighting, and a plethora of
well set-up book displays, Barnes & Noble is an attractive place. The problem with many
libraries is that they are not old-fashioned: they are just old. The difference is that old-fashioned
is a state of mind while old is a state of being. Patrons do not want to see ancient fixtures in
desperate need of polish. In general, libraries need to devote more resources into making their
space attractive and comfortable. Providing patrons with a soothing ambience needs to be a
primary goal of the library. A library can have the best collection in the world, and it would not
mean a thing if the building was alienating and unattractive. Barnes & Noble understands that
the experience is equally as important as the content. Libraries need to follow their example.
However, bookstores like Barnes & Noble do not offer the expert staff, or the superior
organization of libraries. The amount of commercialism and overwhelming number of displays
at Barnes & Noble can be off putting to a lot of customers. Barnes & Noble should adopt the
2
Coffman, Steve. "What if You Ran Your Library Like a Bookstore."
less-is-more approach offered by many libraries. After all, Barnes & Noble can be the best
looking store on earth but no one will want to shop there if it comes off as an underhanded ploy
to make people spend money. Libraries and Barnes & Noble can learn a lot from each other.
Highlighting the general differences between the two friendly rivals is helpful before
exploring individual examples of each. After all, both libraries and bookstores can be vastly
different depending upon their location. The Huntington Branch Library in Shelton, CT is
connected to the local community center and serves as an example of a library that does not fit
the traditional mold. Likewise, the Barnes & Noble located at the Smith Haven Mall on Long
Island is not like other bookstores that dominate their own parking lot.
The Huntington Branch Library serves alongside the Plumb Memorial Library which
makes up the other half of the Shelton Public Library System. The basic layout of the library is
very open and inviting. It has two entrances. The main entrance opens into a small hallway
directly in front of the circulation desk. The circulation desk is around 4ft high, includes a
clearly marked book return slot, and is made of solid wood. On top of the carpeting in front of
the circulation desk are two floor mats showing the public library symbol. The carpeting is a
faded shade of light brown, and is in fairly good condition. However, coupled with the off-white
paint, the library has a very bland color scheme. Granted, the coloring does make the somewhat
small library look bigger, and certainly catches the sunlight far better than a dark scheme would.
Nonetheless, the library literally pales in comparison against the rich tones often associated with
Barnes & Noble. The second entrance of the Branch is directly connected to the community
center, and opens into the space between the children’s department and the lounge area. One of
the primary reasons for the library’s open and inviting atmosphere is the lack of walls. Of the
four main walls that make up the perimeter, three of them are full of windows. In addition, there
is a skylight that runs perpendicular to the main entrance. This gives the library an awe-inspiring
amount of natural lighting. Rainy days and nighttime make the library feel very subdued, but a
sunny afternoon at the library brings a sensational amount of energy. The bulk of the adult
collection is located to the right of the main entrance. Fiction and non-fiction are split by a large
window and a small area containing two tables, chairs, and a study kiosk. The left of the library
is reserved for a number of interesting set-ups and displays. Immediately to the left of the
entrance, there is a large semi-oval display table that serves the same purpose as the tables found
near the entrance at every Barnes & Noble. The library displays thematic books of interest
according to the season, and current events. When asked about the table, the staff referred to it
as “The Boat” due to its resemblance to the bow of a steamboat. New arrivals and popular titles
are located to the left of the semi-oval table. Directly across from the new arrivals, there is a
large seating area located in between the periodicals and a large round desk layout. The
interlocking circle of desks is home to the library’s computers where the patrons can access the
internet and the library’s catalogue. Across from the desks along the wall is additional seating
including lounge chairs, tables, desk chairs, and study kiosks. This area is to the right of the
secondary entrance. To the left of that entrance is children’s department. The Family
Librarian’s desk is situated so that it can see the secondary entrance as well as the entire kids
department. The kids department is separated by reading level, except for the nonfiction section
which runs along the wall (these books are marked by reading level stickers). The teen
department is located in its own artificial corner created by bookcases inside the children’s
department. DVDs are located in towers a few feet away from the circ desk, near the new
arrivals. Finally, the basement of the library contains three public meeting rooms, a large general
storage closet, and the acquisitions department.
The Smith Haven Barnes & Noble is located adjacent to the local mall, and shares
a courtyard with other mall stores. The layout and overall atmosphere of the store is nearly aweinspiring and definitely overwhelming. The hunter green and mahogany color scheme is very
soothing and relaxing; the lighting is somewhat dim compared to the fluorescent aura of most
large retail stores, but still bright enough for reading. The café is actually separated from the
main floor by a large step, and manages to have an ambience all its own. In fact, the Starbucks
Café in Barnes & Noble is bigger than the one actually located inside the mall. It is very dark
and relaxing, with an especially large seating area.
Barnes & Noble, like the Huntington
Branch Library, also has two entrances. The courtyard entrance enters into the Music and DVD
department while the main entrance is accessible from the parking lot. The store has two floors.
When entering in the main entrance, the first thing a customer sees is a large octagon table
displaying all the latest fiction titles. Behind the octagon are two more tables of bestsellers and
new paperbacks, followed by 2 more tables of random displays, the information desk, and 3
more tables leading into the music department. Meanwhile, the first row of bookshelves (visible
from the entrance) holds bestselling titles. To the left of the entrance is a particularly well-kept
newsstand department overflowing with titles. Next to the newsstand is the elevator, and in
front of it are 4 bays of non-fiction books followed by more display tables, the entrance to the
café, and the travel section. The left side of the first floor features the cash wrap, the bargain
section, gifts, and seemingly random categories of non-fiction spread along the wall. The exact
center of the first floor is a large booth with a brightly lit “Information” sign directly next to the
escalators. At the top of the escalators is the children’s department, and most of the books. The
right side contains the teen section (directly in front of the juvenile department), the restrooms,
and a large array of non-fiction titles. The left side of the store has employee recommended
titles, a bestseller wall display, all the adult fiction, and certain non-fiction categories. In the
rear center of the second floor is a seating area. This area is especially large even when
compared to other Barnes & Noble stores. It contains two rows of comfortable antique lounge
chairs facing each other across a chasm of coffee tables (one for each chair). The rear wall is
almost entirely made up of windows, and has small study-kiosk table and chair setups in front of
the windows between the book cases. Finally, there are 2 employee-only information terminals
near each escalator and two customer-friendly title search touch screen terminals on opposite
sides of the escalator.
There are many obvious differences between the Smith Haven Barnes & Noble and the
Huntington Branch Library. While neither one of them has interior rooms (for public use), the
Barnes & Noble has two floors that are each approximately twice the size of the Huntington
Branch. This affords Barnes & Noble a huge amount of space for material, and most of that
space is devoted to displays and promotions instead of shelving. However, the size of the
building does not matter; what matters is how the institution uses the space. While the color and
atmosphere of Barnes & Noble inspires relaxation, the sheer size of the store counteracts this by
overwhelming the customers. The Huntington Branch Library has a very organized layout. All
the adult titles are located on one side of the building, and are neatly divided by non-fiction and
fiction before being further categorized by Dewey decimal or alphabetically. The members of
the library can easily find what they are looking for and often do not require assistance. Barnes
& Noble differs vastly. The fiction is grouped neatly and organized predictably on the second
floor, which is wonderful, but they divide the fiction by genre before author which causes
confusion among customers. For example, Nora Roberts is located solely in Romance but the
Romance section is not clearly marked, nor is the general fiction section that precedes it.
Customers typically try to find their favorite author in general fiction before they realize the
genre breakdown even exists. The non-fiction titles are randomly and haphazardly located
throughout the store. Most sections are located on the right hand side of the second floor but
random genres like gardening are on the first floor, but the reference books (dictionaries, etc.)
flow out of the Sci-Fi books on the left side, while study guides are located on the far left wall
next to poetry and foreign language titles. The layout of the book shelves and sections were
clearly designed to be stylish instead of practical. The Huntington Branch’s layout emphasizes
organization at the expense of aesthetics.
Judging from the layouts of the two locations it is clear that the library and the book store
have very similar priorities, but have a different way of obtaining them. The library emphasizes
order in their collection by using time-tested organization techniques, while the book store is set
up to catch the eye of the consumer. Their common priority is to promote books of interest to
their target audiences and both do a wonderful job at it. The Huntington Branch has clearly
already learned a few things from Barnes & Noble because it features very similar displays (in
theme and design). Whereas Barnes & Noble features a large octagon table spotlighting its new
arrivals, the Branch has a carefully set-up semi-oval table spotlighting major seasonal themes.
Many of the themes the library promotes are similar to those found on prominent tables near the
Barnes & Noble entrance. The new arrival bay at Barnes & Noble is mimicked by the Branch’s
new arrival wall where the books are faced outward toward the patrons. The library also makes
use of promotional end-caps by placing small trapezoid shaped bookshelves at the end of each
bay, and has a number of tables and bookshelves around the library highlighting items of interest
to the patrons who typically make use of the area. Promotional items at both places are always
positioned so that the cover is visible to the viewer, and both make use of a pyramid-style display
in which the items in the center are at the highest point, with each adjacent item being slightly
lower than the next. The attention to detail and aesthetics within the displays highlights the
shared desire of pairing patrons with books that appeal to them. The library and the bookstore
both promote literacy by making popular and attractive displays. By promoting literacy they are
making a profit. Barnes & Noble makes money, while the library profits by pleasing patrons,
raising its circulation statistics and gaining public support, which theoretically results in a strong
budget. Another commonality between the two is the desire to profit by enticing their patrons to
visit regularly. Ultimately, the library and the book store both seek success.
The difference is their definition of success. Barnes & Noble gets exponentially more
successful when their customers leave with multiple items whereas the library succeeds when the
patron leaves happy. This makes their approach radically different. They both make attractive
displays, but the library’s displays are intentionally quaint and few in order to catch the eye.
Barnes & Noble has as many displays as they can in the hopes of claiming “impulse buys”. At
the Smith Haven Barnes & Noble, there were 3 large octagon tables, at least 15 large tables, and
mission tables stuck anywhere there was extra space, and end-caps at both ends of every book
bay. The amount of displays all vying for customer attention was distracting, and bordered on
being overcrowded. The Huntington Branch, by comparison hosted only one semi-oval table, 2
mission tables, 2 promotional bookcases, a large table for flyers and 4 end-caps at the end of
adult non-fiction. The result made each display special, and truly attention grabbing. The
library’s less-is-more approach sought to pique the interest of patrons in the hopes that they leave
happy. Both institutions used their displays to strategically further their chances of success.
One key to success is making sure patrons know where to find the items they want. The
signage situation was the most baffling and most noticeable contradiction of Barnes & Noble.
Every display including tables, end-caps, and promotional bays were clearly and cleverly labeled
by large signs that were visible from across the store. The theme was obvious, the layout was
beautiful, and libraries should take notice of these displays and replicate them. However, the
bookcases that house the majority of the store’s collection (and account for the majority of their
sales) had no signage whatsoever. The only form of labeling came from quarter-inch high labels
on the shelves inside the bays. These labels denoted genre changes inside of the sections (for
example, the labels in travel differentiated the European Section from the Asian section).
Customers who did not ask for help had to wander the store until they happened upon their
section. Huntington Branch Library by comparison had large signs high on the wall signifying
the section underneath them. The stacks were clearly labeled, and the displays each had their
own unique sign. However, the Branch should adopt Barnes & Noble’s detailed labels inside of
the bays. Especially the non-fiction section, to the majority of patrons the Dewey Decimal
System makes as much sense as Barnes & Noble’s haphazard non-fiction breakdowns.
In addition to layout, the signage situations in both places reveals their mission
statements, and how committed they are to them. Barnes & Noble’s mission statement is:
“Our mission is to operate the best specialty retail business in America, regardless of the product we sell.
Because the product we sell is books, our aspirations must be consistent with the promise and the ideals of
the volumes which line our shelves. To say that our mission exists independent of the product we sell is to
demean the importance and the distinction of being booksellers.
As booksellers we are determined to be the very best in our business, regardless of the size, pedigree or
inclinations of our competitors. We will continue to bring our industry nuances of style and approaches to
bookselling which are consistent with our evolving aspirations.
Above all, we expect to be a credit to the communities we serve, a valuable resource to our customers, and
a place where our dedicated booksellers can grow and prosper. Toward this end we will not only listen to
our customers and booksellers but embrace the idea that the Company is at their service.”
The reason Barnes & Noble focuses on display signs and foregoes organizational ones is to
maximize its profit. Instead of overwhelming the customer with signs from everywhere, they
want the consumer to see the displays and purchase something on impulse. Having customers
look for their desired section encourages browsing. However, it is important that customers not
get frustrated so they add labels to the shelves. They also have employees on the floor to help
customers, this not only alleviates frustration but it also adds the possibility that the bookseller
will be able to up-sell the store’s promotions. These are examples of how Barnes & Noble
attempts to be the best retail business in America. In comparison the Huntington Branch
Library’s mission statement is:
“The mission of the Huntington Branch Library is to provide a physical and electronic space for people to
read, meet, and connect to Shelton and the larger world around us. The collection of print, audio, visual,
and electronic items is intended to help people enrich life, gain knowledge and understanding, and
appreciate creativity. The Huntington Branch will work in conjunction with the Plumb Memorial Library
and the community of Shelton to accomplish this ongoing goal 3.”
The signs in the library reflect this mission. Part of providing a physical space for people is to
ensure that they feel comfortable and know how to use that space. Everything is clearly labeled
in an effort to maximize the use of the library’s items, which will help their patrons enrich their
lives. While there are not any staff members on the floor to help patrons such as at Barnes &
Noble, the circulation desk is a central area for patrons to go to for help. The employees of the
Branch further enhance the library’s mission statement by bringing an air of kindness and clarity
to the library.
The staff of the Huntington Branch Library is small, even for a library. It features only
two librarians (one of them being the director), one page, two full-time library assistants, and a
handful of part-time employees to cover the circulation desk. Ironically, the size of the staff
mandates that the library conduct itself more like the massive staff of the bookstore. At Barnes
& Noble, there are booksellers and there are managers. The same breakdown can be applied to
3
http://www.plumblibrary.org/abouthbrmission.htm
the full and part-time employees of the branch. In both places, the members of the staff (no
matter their rank) are there to help the patrons with whatever they need. They follow the basic
practices of quality customer service. The Huntington Branch Library makes it a priority to greet
every patron as they enter. The Smith Haven Barnes & Noble is graded by secret shoppers to test
the level of customer service. One of the major elements they look for is a greeting from an
employee within 20 minutes of their entry. Barnes & Noble employees are required to walk
customers to the section they are looking for and to place the book in the customer’s hands. The
staff members of the branch often personally enter the stacks with a patron in order to find a
book. The managers and director in both locations tell their employees that customer service is
the highest priority, and often point out that the whole point of their institution is to service the
public. Patrons are to be treated with kindness and respect by all employees under all
circumstances. Happy customers are essential. The staff recognizes that getting the patrons to
frequent the location is central to their profit and success.
The ideal library would be a mixture of the Huntington Branch Library and the Smith
Haven Barnes & Noble. Two stories would be preferable like the bookstore, however the
organization would be more like the Branch than Barnes & Noble. Fiction, DVDs, Children, and
Teen would make up the first floor while Non-Fiction, computer access, and quiet study/reading
rooms would be on the second. This way, the first floor can function more like Barnes & Noble
where customers are encouraged to be themselves while the second can mimic a traditional
library’s ideal level of sound pollution. All meeting rooms would be in an add-on adjacent to the
first floor instead of in the basement. The sections would follow typical library protocol in terms
of organization. Natural lighting would fill the library during bright sunny days, while nonfluorescent chandelier-style lights would create a relaxed atmosphere during rainy days and
evenings. The color scheme would be a deep maroon and dark brown reminiscent of a red velvet
cake, while the fixtures would be made entirely of mahogany. There would be sizeable seating
areas complete with leather lounge chairs, giving the patrons plenty of room to relax. The ideal
library would offer a select number of promotional tables, and the displays would be changed
weekly in order to attract greater attention. The café would be permitted to play soft classical
music on the first floor but unlike Barnes & Noble, modern easy listening will not fill the entire
premises. The juvenile department would be adjacent to the main floor, but separated by displays
and bookcases, like in Barnes & Noble. Parents and children need to feel free to be themselves
also, which is why the children’s department will function as its own miniature library and
include all the services of the larger library. Interestingly enough, the ideal library would be
located next to a mall like the Smith Haven Barnes & Noble. It is a convenient location that
would entice patrons that may not have typically made a special trip to visit the library. A
shopping mall library would open the library to a larger public, and present the library with
exciting possibilities to carry out their mission. The mission of the library would be similar to
Barnes & Noble’s but include elements of the Huntington Branch’s. One of the most interesting
facts about Barnes & Noble is that its mission is to be the best. Every institution should strive to
be the best at what they do. The ideal library would be the best at serving the public, and would
be located where the public cannot help but notice it.
Employees of the library would function more like Barnes & Noble booksellers than
traditional library staff. There would be no specialized position like “page”, there would only be
librarians (who function as managers) and book lenders that are crossed trained to be pages,
circulation assistants, and customer service experts. Although the circulation and reference
desks would always be staffed, the majority of the librarians and “book lenders” would be
walking around the floor, engaging patrons and offering assistance. Employees hiding behind
desks seem less approachable than ones walking around, and people are more likely to accept
help that is offered than to ask for it directly. The ideal library is a hybrid Barnes & Noble and
modern library. There would be many elements of libraries such as reference services, online
services, and library cards. It would also be organized according to the Dewey Decimal System,
and labeled to emphasize the larger collection with smaller signs for the few displays. The
library would have the aesthetics of Barnes & Noble complete with its comforting colors, and
attractive layout (albeit a better organized one). It would meet the expectations of library goers
and mall customers alike.
The friendly rivalry between bookstores and libraries is an example of two similar
institutions with two different approaches. As evidenced by Huntington Branch, many libraries
have already begun to learn from their rivals. Even though Barnes & Noble’s bottom line is
money, and the library’s is public support, the methods of one can easily be adapted to fit the
needs of the other. This is a slow process, but improvements are being made in both places. In
the meanwhile, we can appreciate the different yet rewarding experiences that bookstores and
libraries have to offer.
A Note on References
The majority of research gathered for this paper was done through careful observation
and impromptu conversations with the staff at Huntington Branch Library and Smith Haven
Barnes & Noble. On several occasions, I spoke with the staff stationed at the information or
circulation desk about practices and outlooks. I had particularly detailed conversations about
policies, philosophies, and mission statements with Shawn Fields – the director of the
Huntington Branch, and Tom Hillman – the merchandise manager at Smith Haven Barnes &
Noble. I did not obtain permission to quote either of them, and therefore did not. The remainder
of the research came from class lectures, notes, and discussion boards in addition to the works
cited page which follows.
Works Cited
Agosto, Denise. "Creating the customer-driven library: Building on the bookstore model."
Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology Journal of the
American Society for Information Science and Technology 57 (2005): 585-86.
Coffman, Steve. "What if You Ran Your Library Like a Bookstore." American Libraries (March
1998): 40-46.
Hemmeter, Jeffrey A. "Household use of public libraries and large bookstores." Library &
Information Science Research 28 (2006): 595-616.
Kim, Chan W., and Renee Mauborgne. "Creating New Market Space." Harvard Business Review
January - February (1999).
<http://www.icti.ie/articles/Creating%20New%20Market%20Space%20%20000927.pdf>.
Malkin, Whitney. "Recession sending more patrons to small libraries." KGW News 2 May 2009.
<http://www.kgw.com/newslocal/stories/kgw_050209_news_small_libraries.10f9c13f.html>.
Woodward, Jeannette A. Creating the customer-driven library building on the bookstore model.
Chicago: American Library Association, 2005.