I read with sadness and concern that bookstore chain Times has closed two of its branches (Bookstore chain Times closes Plaza Singapura and Waterway Point branches, Feb 26).

The closures are the latest blow for bookshops in Singapore. A string of major chains have ceased operations here, including Borders, Harris, Page One and MPH. This leaves only Kinokuniya and Popular standing among the major retailers, in addition to some indie bookshops.

Even then, Kinokuniya has shrunk its operations, closing its Liang Court branch and downsizing its Ngee Ann City flagship store. Popular has diversified its range of products to include IT and even household products.

Diversification is a strategy that can help bookshops stay afloat, but I believe they must retain their core mission, that is, to sell books and cultivate a reading habit.

A number of reasons can be posited for the demise of bookshops here.

The first is that people are buying more books online, which is generally cheaper than buying from a physical store. While this is true, it appears to have had a more adverse effect in Singapore. Bookshops are thriving in countries like Malaysia.

The second reason is that social media has replaced books as our main source of information. Children today also seem to be gaming more than reading.

The third and most salient reason is the high rental rates in Singapore. That is perhaps why mega bookshops like Eslite have chosen Malaysia instead.

A friend suggested that it is the excellent libraries here that have eliminated the need to go to bookshops. However, there are countries that have excellent libraries coexisting with bricks-and-mortar bookshops.

Like museums and art spaces, bookshops are a vital part of the cultural ecosystem. Books constitute cultural capital. Something needs to be done to address the decline of bookshops before more of them bite the dust. Better still, provide the right conditions for bookshops to set up and thrive here.

Jeffrey Say Seck Leong