Thoughts & Things

The Worst Parts of Working in a Bookstore

I previously wrote about "The Best Parts of Working in a Bookstore" , and I thought it might be nice to share some of the downsides I experienced when working in a bookstore. As I did not work with customers, some of the downsides might be different from what you might typically think of as the negatives of working in a bookstore.

Regardless of whether or not I worked with customers, they were still the worst part. Coffee cups would be left on shelves with the books, and people would put things back in the wrong place (which is extremely difficult to keep track of in a bookstore I might add). The worst was when I found the broken off end of a deodorant stick squished in between two books on a shelf.

Everything is so heavy. Carrying stuff to the shelves isn't too bad, because it's all on carts. The problem is the shelving itself. Books weigh quite a bit, some more than others. When you have to shift entire rows of books to make room for more, it can be either very tedious, very heavy, or both. The cooking, fashion, and graphic novel sections are especially painful.

You can't read everything! It's so easy to get lost in the books. Sometimes you just want to sit down surrounded by piles of them and start reading; unfortunately, this can get you fired. While you can borrow or buy the books, there's nothing like the now, which is sadly just not an option while you're working.

I honestly think that might be it. It's pretty amazing when the benefits of a job far outweigh the negatives it might present. I would definitely recommend applying to your local bookstore if you're considering it.

(I have committed to blogging daily with Give It 100. This is Day Twenty-Five. Three days of leave taken total.)