THE DECLINE OF THE BOOKSELLER AS AN INFORMATION MEDIATOR AND ITS IMPACTS ON SOCIAL MEMORY
Keywords:
bookseller, informational mediation, memory, bookshops, booksAbstract
Recognized as a cultural and informational mediator, the bookseller faces challenges that affect both the visibility of the profession and its social memory. Large retailers have increased book sales through substantial discounts and the convenience of online shopping, harming independent bookstores and contributing to the decline of the bookselling profession in Brazil. Despite its historical importance to the book trade and reading culture, the bookseller has gradually become invisible over time. This study aims to historicize the profession, gather data on its decline, and discuss its impacts on social memory. The theoretical framework is based on the studies of Schettino (2013), Darnton (1990), and Barros, Borges and Barbosa (2006). The research was conducted through a bibliographic survey in databases such as BRAPCI and Google Scholar. The findings indicate that the decline of the bookselling profession in Brazil has affected its cultural and historical presence, highlighting the need to preserve its memory and seek strategies for its reconfiguration in contemporary society, including the valorization of physical bookstores, the strengthening of informational mediation, and adaptation to new technologies.