Do we owe anything to the places we visit?
Last month, I spent some time in Savannah, Georgia, with family. Like many travelers, the woman I’d eat bees for and I often return home with a souvenir. But our souvenirs typically end up on our bookshelves.
For many years, we have tried to buy at least one book from a local independent bookstore whenever we travel. In Savannah, I walked a couple of miles to The Stacks Bookstore to buy a copy of Daniel Kraus’ novel, "Angel Down." The evening before, my wife purchased Alan Hollinghurst’s "Our Evenings" from E. Shaver Booksellers during a stroll.
We also try to support independent bookstores closer to home, whether it’s purchasing a copy of Beppe Fenoglio’s "A Private Affair" from I Am Books in Boston’s North End, Brian Goldstone’s "There Is No Place for Us: Working and Homelessness in America" from Eight Cousins in Falmouth, Massachusetts, or José Andrés’ cookbook "Zaytinya" from Just Book-ish in Dorchester, Massachusetts.
We buy books we likely would have purchased or borrowed from the library anyway. But buying them from local bookstores reminds us of the places we’ve been and the people who continue to try to help those places thrive. When I pick up my copy of Ned Blackhawk’s "The Rediscovery of America: Native Peoples and the Unmaking of U.S. History," I’m reminded of the patient booksellers at Maria’s Bookshop in Durango, Colorado, which is just steps from the Durango Diner which serves up some of the best green chile sauce.
While we support independent bookstores, other travelers might make a habit of engaging with locally owned restaurants, neighborhood coffee shops or small retailers as a way of supporting the local economies they visit. But do all travelers have an obligation to support the communities they visit, even if the visit is fleeting?
Few of us have unlimited budgets to support every local business. Neither do we have a moral obligation to buy books while traveling. There are several good reasons to order books online or to borrow them from libraries or friends. I’m not arguing that everyone should follow my lead and buy a book from an independent bookstore when they travel. Nevertheless, I like the idea of doing so.
When we spend money while traveling, we make choices about the kinds of places we value. Every purchase sends a small signal and ideally will help determine if local businesses will survive or disappear.
We know that a single book bought is unlikely to keep any bookstore alive. But making those purchases reflects our belief in the importance of reading and community. These are small gestures, but they acknowledge that independent bookstores can occupy a special place in any community by employing local residents, hosting author events and serving as places for residents to gather. We like to think that our purchases acknowledge that the places we visit are communities with institutions like bookstores that enrich local life.
These purchases feel like a modest way of saying “thank you.” Others may find different ways to do this. For us, choosing to support local independent bookstores whenever possible feels like the right thing to do.
If you send me the name of your nearby independent bookstore, I’ll try to pay them a visit if I should find myself in their neck of the woods.
Jeffrey L. Seglin, author of The Simple Art of Business Etiquette: How to Rise to the Top by Playing Nice, is a senior lecturer in public policy and director of the communications program at Harvard's Kennedy School. He is also the administrator of www.jeffreyseglin.com, a blog focused on ethical issues.
Do you have ethical questions that you need to have answered? Send them to jeffreyseglin@gmail.com.
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(c) 2026 JEFFREY L. SEGLIN. Distributed by TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, LLC.
