My Summer Reading with Erica Caldwell of the bookstore Present Tense

This week it's bookstores time on our series My Summer Reading with two recommendations from bookstores that participate in our bookstores program, where customers at the store can plant a tree for every book they buy there and receive our sticker at the counter!

Our first guest is Erica Caldwell of Present Tense in Batavia, NY.

Located in Batavia, NY, halfway between the cities of Buffalo and Rochester, Present Tense is a locally-owned independent bookstore that serves as a center for reading, writing, and the arts in Western New York. As you can see from the picture below Present Tense is also celebrating the summer with a great program of visiting authors.

Hi Erica, what are you reading now?
Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls

Any recommendation on a good summer reading?
The Earth Hums in B Flat by Mari Strachan

What you are planning to read this summer?
The Crying Tree by Naseem Rakha and then hopefully a few more that are in my towering stack of unread books!

What is your favorite place to read in the summer?
On the deck

Thanks Erica!

More information on Present Tense can be found at http://www.presenttensebooks.com/

So far on My Summer Reading series:

Christian Valentiner of the Norwegian publisher Flux

Avrim Topel, co-author of 'My Green Beginnings'

Tania Hershman, author of 'The White Road and Other Stories'

Elisabeth Baines, author of the upcoming book 'Too Many Magpie'

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: promoting green publishing

My Green Resolution for 2009 - Present Tense

Today we visit a great independent bookstore in our search for green resolutions and greetings for 2009. We're happy to have with us Erica Caldwell, the owner of Present Tense.

Located in Batavia, NY, halfway between the cities of Buffalo and Rochester, Present Tense is a locally-owned independent bookstore that serves as a center for reading, writing, and the arts in Western New York. Present Tense is also participating in Eco-Libris' bookstores program, where customers at the store can plant a tree for every book they buy there and receive our sticker at the counter!

Hello Erica. What is your green resolution for 2009?
Our green resolution for 2009 is to keep looking for ways to reduce our business's impact on the environment. We carry a lot of local products, which reduces transportation needs. We also carry several lines of eco-friendly products, which we hope to expand this year.

We've made other changes too, like using only biodegradable, compostable beverage cups during store events, giving our paper (and we generally have lots of it!) to the local school to recycle as part of their fundraising program, and switching our cleaning products to environmentally friendly brands. This year, we hope to continue these small changes and if we are thinking green, I'm sure we'll find more areas were we can implement eco-friendly practices into our business.

This year, Present Tense is co-sponsoring the second annual Earth Day Art Contest, which encourages people of all ages in our community to write, draw, sculpt, knit, or otherwise craft a piece of art that reflects the spirit of Earth Day. We have prize categories for different types of media, ages, and use of recycled materials in the artwork. Last year we had over 100 entries in our first year of holding the contest, and we are looking forward to this year's entries as well!

Thanks Erica!

For more information on Present Tense please visit their website at www.presenttensebooks.com. You're also welcome to read the interview I made with her last September.

So far on "My Green Resolution for 2009":

Bart Babek of AboutMyPlanet.com

Angela Wieck of EcoBrain

Author Amy Guth of the Pilcrow Lit Fest and So New Publishing

Dr. Anne Hallum of the International Alliance for Reforestation (AIR)

Surendra James Conti of East West Bookstore

Jennifer Taylor of GreetQ

Bill Roth, author of "On Empty (Out of Time)"

Vonda Schaefer of Valley Books

Madeline Kaplan, author of "Planet Earth Gets Well"

Chris Flynn of Torpedo

Edain Duguay of Wyrdwood Publications

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris
www.ecolibris.net

Eco-Libris' Bookstores Series: an interview with Erica Caldwell of Present Tense

Eco-Libris' bookstores program keeps growing and currently includes 26 bookstores in the U.S., Ireland and Canada. Customers at these bookstores have the opportunity to pay $1 to plant a tree to balance each book they purchase there. Customers will also receive an Eco-Libris sticker (made of recycled paper) at the counter for each book they balance out, saying 'One tree planted for this book'.

On our bookstores series we present you with the bookstores that are taking part in the program and the people behind them. Today we have the pleasure to present you with Present Tense of Batavia, NY (halfway between the cities of Buffalo and Rochester) and its owner, Erica Caldwell, whom we interviewed here.

Hello Erica. It's great to have you with us here. When Present Tense was opened? how long you are with the store?

Present Tense opened in August 2005. I have been the owner since we opened.

What you like the most about Present Tense?

I like that we are located in an old house that once belonged to a writer, John H. Yates, who was quite famous in the early 1900s. I'm proud that we are not only providing books to people in the area but that we are also helping preserve a piece of local history.

I saw you offer some special services in the store. Can you tell me a little bit about it?

Present Tense offers a full suite of book related services including special orders, out of print searches, gift certificates, book club pre-orders, and a frequent reader discount. Our Volumes program offers special pricing and discounts for corporate, non-profit, and educational organizations.

In store, we offer complimentary gift wrapping and free wireless Internet access. In addition, we welcome community groups to use our Yates Gallery if they need a place to meet.

What do people like most about the store?

People are thrilled that they no longer have to drive half an hour to the nearest metropolitan area to buy books. Our customers are very excited to have a bookstore right here in town now.

You have many events in the store, including book parties, book group meeting, signing events and more. What is the most popular type of event?

Our book discussion groups are wonderful and they attract so many insightful, intelligent, and friendly people to our store. They have become so popular that we now offer two adult groups and one for young adults. Many of our author events are well attended, particularly if they feature local authors, and a few events that have included local history have been well received. I think our customers are very proud of this region and are interested in learning more about its past.

Are there any relationship between the store and the local library/ies?

We work with the local libraries to cross-promote events, and we work closely with them to make the community reading program a success each year. I have also done a few reviews for their weekly book review program.

What is the best selling book right now? What is the all times best selling book?

The Twilight books by Stephenie Meyer have been big sellers this summer and so has The Dragon Heir by Cinda Williams Chima. Our best selling book since we've opened is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling.

What would be your favorite book in the store?

I can't pick just one! My favorite book that I've read recently is The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer, my favorite young adult book right now is The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, and The Spanish Bow by Andromeda Romano-Lax, A Sudden Country by Karen Fisher, So Brave, Young, and Handsome by Leif Enger, and The Secret River by Kate Grenville are ones I am an advocate for if customers ask for recommendations.

Any special message you want to send to book lovers in Batavia, NY?

Thank you for supporting us for the past three years!


So if you're anywhere near Batavia, NY you're invited to visit the store (101 Washington Avenue, Batavia, NY 14020). You won't regret it! And of course, you can also visit their website at http://www.presenttensebooks.com.

Past guests on our series:

Erin Thompson of Black Bear Books (Boone, NC)
Marva Allen of the Hue-Man Bookstore and Cafe (New York, NY)
James “Surendra” Conti of East West Bookstore (Mountain View, CA)

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Plant a tree for every book you read!