Bluestocking Bookshop of Michigan champions used books: 'I see books I've never seen before'

Local, independent bookstores have never been more important. With fair access to literature under political attack, bookstores are a bulwark against censorship and an asset to the communities they serve.

Each week we profile an independent bookstore, discovering what makes each one special and getting their expert book recommendations.

This week, we’re featuring The Bluestocking Bookshop in Holland, Michigan

What’s the story behind The Bluestocking Bookshop?

Our shop opened in September 2019, six months before the world fractured due to the global pandemic. Since then, we have expanded, hired and grown. Our LGBTQ+ owned bookshop features primarily used books, offering trade credit to the community for their pre-loved titles. I see books I've never seen before every day.

What makes The Bluestocking Bookshop unique?

Our county government has created an environment that is increasingly unsafe for our marginalized communities. Our bookshop has become a haven of sorts and a news hub about their actions against our county health department, against LGBTQ+ centers and issues, even against our mental health resources and disability networks, the actions that have earned us featured articles in the Washington Post twice this year. As an LGBTQ+ owned business, our mission is to provide:

• high-quality pre-loved books at affordable prices

• space in which our community can meet, build, and strengthen without prejudice or prerequisite

• opportunity which empowers our community to be literary and intelligent people.

We are proud to welcome anyone to our store, no matter their identity and beliefs, but we are most proud that our communities feel safe at our store.

What book do you love to recommend to customers and why?

Abby Jimenez has the ability and wordcraft to make me laugh and ugly cry, sometimes on the same page. "Yours Truly" gives a modern "Persuasion" vibe, bringing back the romance of written letters amidst the high-stress environment of the medical world and mental health.

More: How Off the Beaten Path Bookstore in Colorado fosters community, support of banned books

What book do you think deserves more attention and why?

"The World Gives Way" by Marisa Levien is a debut sci-fi novel that examines humanity and class in an amazing way. The part of it that lives rent free in my head asks, "How many generations would it take for us to lose the ability to write with a pen and paper?"

Why is shopping at local, independent bookstores important?

Independent bookstores feed our communities and not just with tax dollars. As a single mom, our owner is passionate about offering discount possibilities for families who wouldn't otherwise have access to books for their children. The consumer consumption of the publishing industry affects our environment, which makes used books a more sustainable option. Used books offer a unique opportunity for battling the monopoly of giant warehouse corporations who sell books at a loss to capture the economy on big ticket purchases. Shopping at local stores preserves our humanity and sense of togetherness.

What are some of your store's events, programs, or partnerships coming up this quarter that you would like to share?

Our bookshop partners with our LGBTQIA+ center for classroom library grants. We source books in languages other than English for an immigrant advocacy center. We host local writer groups and National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) events. We maintain a Banned Books reader group all year round. We keep an Educator Fund, offering educators $20 in book credit every time they visit the shop.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bluestocking Bookshop of Michigan champions used and banned books