# Do you still visit the bookstore?



## TammyC (Nov 17, 2009)

Yesterday afternoon I took advantage of some free time and strolled through Barnes and Noble for a little over an hour.  Even though I LOVE my kindle I still really enjoy browsing the book store and occasionally still purchasing a real book.  I'm also the type that picks a book by it's cover so it's a great way for me to find new books to add to my list.

Just wondering if I'm the only one? There's just something so relaxing about strolling through all those books


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

Although I'm not in there often, when I've been in a bookstore (B&N) in the last couple of years, I'm disappointed at how much of the space is taken up by non-book stuff! I was in one a few months ago for the first time in a year, and haven't felt the need to go back. I used to shop with the cover as a big part of my decision process, but have lost the habit.

Alas, I do think "real" bookstores have joined the weekly tv schedule from the Sunday paper, and the yellow pages as a thing of the past for me. Used to be big, but no more.


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## Gone 9/21/18 (Dec 11, 2008)

I can't remember the last time I was in a bookstore and have no urge to visit one. Haven't purchased a paper book since I got my first Kindle in spring of 2008, although I do read paper now and then from the library.


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## Jennifer R P (Oct 19, 2012)

I still love bookstores, but yeah, they're going away. Chain bookstores are, certainly. Small independent stores, especially ones with good cafes, will probably survive, but there isn't one of those in this neighborhood. Sigh.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

I don't really have any bookstores near me and I live in a large city. The nearest B&N is in such a bad place to get to for me, no way would I get stressed out driving there. I shudder just to think of that traffic. 

I think its been like 10 years since I been inside a bookstore. Library yes, although not for browsing. I would do that online and then pick up my books. My neck dies trying to read the spines sideways at the library. Ouch. 

But I am all about reading ebooks anyway now. For some nice cookbooks, maybe, I still have my favorites in paper. But I would order those online also. I just don't like traffic and crowds and loud children.


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## Brownskins (Nov 18, 2011)

I love all kinds of bookstores - the local B&N stores in Plano, TX (14th St.) and Dallas, TX (NW Highway) are still going strong, Half Price main branch in Dallas, TX (NW Highway) is fun and has all sorts of events, books clubs and author signing events, and I love the independent bookstores with cafes.  I get all excited whenever I am in a bookstore, and so do my kids.  It's like visiting Disneyland - there is magic in seeing, browsing and feeling freshly printed books.  

My kids always ends up buying their own books each time we visit, but even though I am tempted, I don't buy for myself - rather, I end up having a TBR/wish list based on the books I browsed and liked.  Reason?  Even with discounts and coupons, books in a physical bookstore are always more expensive than books purchased online and/or ebooks.  I usually end up buying online from Amazon either ebooks or prints, even if every now and then, I complain about damage to the cover or corners during shipment.


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## TammyC (Nov 17, 2009)

Brownskins said:


> I love all kinds of bookstores - the local B&N stores in Plano, TX (14th St.) and Dallas, TX (NW Highway) are still going strong, Half Price main branch in Dallas, TX (NW Highway) is fun and has all sorts of events, books clubs and author signing events, and I love the independent bookstores with cafes. I get all excited whenever I am in a bookstore, and so do my kids. It's like visiting Disneyland - there is magic in seeing, browsing and feeling freshly printed books.
> 
> My kids always ends up buying their own books each time we visit, but even though I am tempted, I don't buy for myself - rather, I end up having a TBR/wish list based on the books I browsed and liked. Reason? Even with discounts and coupons, books in a physical bookstore are always more expensive than books purchased online and/or ebooks. I usually end up buying online from Amazon either ebooks or prints, even if every now and then, I complain about damage to the cover or corners during shipment.





katc said:


> My favorite place in the world is a book store.
> It was always a dream of mine to run my own.
> I could've lived inside Borders and been very happy. It was sad to see it go.
> Love the smell, the atmosphere, and exploring the shelves.


So glad to see I'm not the only one. My local B&N is always packed, Saturday I had a hard time finding a parking spot. Probably 90% of the time I don't buy any books, I just get a coffee from the café and browse around and relax. I always come out with tons of new books added to my wish list. Every once in awhile though a good cover or look of a book will get me and I must have it in regular book. You are right about the prices though Brownskins, they are always more expensive than Amazon. And it's great that your kids are into it too. I always love seeing kids in B&N getting excited over books!


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## MariaESchneider (Aug 1, 2009)

I do love a good bookstore and my mom and I still go into them.  She has a favorite used book store that is just HUGE.  I always lose her in there and spend more time looking for her than for books!  Room after room of books!  But here at home, I use the library or ebooks.  The B&N nearest me is not a very good store.  I used to go in there weekly, but if I need something specific, it's easier to order it online and it's usually faster because the B&N pretty much carries best sellers and oddball writing pads/cafe/non-book stuff.  There's a B&N further from me that is larger and tends to have a better mystery section.  Well, I think it's better because it happens to carry authors I like.  YMMV...


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## Joseph J Bailey (Jun 28, 2013)

I always love going to new places and exploring what local book stores are on offer.

How are they different from the ones at home? Are there new treasures to be found? What do they specialize in? What makes them unique?

There are so many wondrous book stores to visit, but, like many great wild places, they are under significant pressure.


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## Mike D. aka jmiked (Oct 28, 2008)

I've been to a bookstore possibly twice in the last five years. Once to look for a sheet music book and once from curiosity to see what had changed in the last few years. Answer: less books, more other stuff. Not altogether surprising.


Mike


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## stevene9 (Nov 9, 2008)

Bookstores?

Isn't that something they used to have a long time ago? I think that was available at the carriage store next to the buggy whips!  

Steve


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

I still love walking through a bookstore. The smells, the feeling of it. The ease of using a Kindle makes it my primary source, but there's nothing quite like a bookstore. And, as a writer, there's still little better than walking into a store to find one of your books on a shelf. That never gets old.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Love bookstores!  Don't buy books, but I love bookstores.

We're lucky in that our Barnes & Noble at Springfield Mall still features books most heavily.  I browse through the books all the time.  We buy magazines occasionally, and also coffee!

Hubby buys a book every now and then.

Betsy


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## missypyxi (Jan 23, 2015)

I was so sad when bookstores started closing.  I love books so much...I used to work at Barnes and Noble and there's nothing like shelves and shelves of wonderful stories to browse through.

I do still go to book stores and when I have the money I buy books there, even though I can usually get them for less online.


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## R H Auslander (Dec 14, 2015)

I love book stores and we still have them here although finding books in English is impossible except for dictionaries. However, the used book kiosks in the markets can be a gold mine if you look hard. It is amazing what I have found in them, and for a pittance.


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## LeonardDHilleyII (May 23, 2011)

Yes! Anytime I can find them. It seems that all of my old haunts have closed shop. Even the bookstores where I did book signings have slowly, one by one, vanished. I miss Borders and some independent ones have closed up because they cannot compete with Amazon.


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## alawston (Jun 3, 2012)

I'm lucky in that my corner of London has a fair few independent bookshops, and even the odd chain. I love them with a fierce passion. A couple of them even carry my paperbacks now, which is lovely.


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## Sarah Chute (Nov 11, 2015)

I just went (again) to Powell's bookstore in Portland, OR... amazing! I left with three books; I love visiting bookstores but I often leave empty-handed.

I feel like I read paper books faster/I don't abandon them half-way through. Maybe that's because I can see their presence and feel like they're asking to be read. On my kindle it's so easy to pick up another book if I don't feel like finishing the one I am reading. (Sad, but true.)


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## lmroth12 (Nov 15, 2012)

I still love bookstores. And I have a used bookstore in my city that carries old original editions of classics and unusual books that it would take forever to find by browsing on Amazon.


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## Andra (Nov 19, 2008)

I still enjoy browsing bookstores, especially Half Price Books.  I collect old children's books and it's always fun to see what shows up at the different locations.  I also like to look at cookbooks and craft books before purchasing.  And I buy gifts since not all of my friends/family have moved to Kindles yet.


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## lmroth12 (Nov 15, 2012)

Andra said:


> I still enjoy browsing bookstores, especially Half Price Books. I collect old children's books and it's always fun to see what shows up at the different locations. I also like to look at cookbooks and craft books before purchasing. And I buy gifts since not all of my friends/family have moved to Kindles yet.


Ditto.


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## DISmith (Jul 13, 2015)

TammyC said:


> Yesterday afternoon I took advantage of some free time and strolled through Barnes and Noble for a little over an hour. Even though I LOVE my kindle I still really enjoy browsing the book store and occasionally still purchasing a real book. I'm also the type that picks a book by it's cover so it's a great way for me to find new books to add to my list.
> 
> Just wondering if I'm the only one? There's just something so relaxing about strolling through all those books


I'm sure you're not the only one. I LOVE browsing in bookstores! I like to get attracted by a cover, read the blurb on the back and sample a couple of pages.


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## belindaf (Jan 27, 2011)

I love going to the bookstore and our local (Northshire Books) is dog-friendly, which rocks. I'm there daily because my dog Poe (yes, named after the author) is a local celeb. They always have treats for him. Unfortunately, I buy most of my books from Amazon because the prices are not comparable. I find the books are double the price in the store as they are online. I'd buy much more than the occasional book from them if that wasn't the case.


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## geezergas (Nov 8, 2014)

Pre Kindle I loved our B&N, spent a lot of time in there.  Actually shopped the Nook vs the Kindle.  Since the Kindle the closest I get is the paper book rack in the grocery store.  Many authors I like have they're books on the shelves, I look them over, if interested I take a picture and look it up on Amazon - put it in my wish list.  Even some new authors (to me) I can read about books, hold them, look through them then download them to the Kindle. I am disappointed to see newer paperbacks  <$10.00 but $14.99 on Kindle. Sometimes I have to wait a year or so but they'll get below $10.00


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## TommyHill (Dec 21, 2015)

I love going into book stores, and I'm sad to see they're on their way out. While the kindle is incredibly user-friendly, novel, and space-saving, it can never compare to having a physical hardcopy of a book. Strolling through stores that still sell books is how I find new ones to read. Browsing amazon just isn't the same.


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## TammyC (Nov 17, 2009)

geezergas said:


> Pre Kindle I loved our B&N, spent a lot of time in there. Actually shopped the Nook vs the Kindle. Since the Kindle the closest I get is the paper book rack in the grocery store. Many authors I like have they're books on the shelves, I look them over, if interested I take a picture and look it up on Amazon - put it in my wish list. Even some new authors (to me) I can read about books, hold them, look through them then download them to the Kindle. I am disappointed to see newer paperbacks <$10.00 but $14.99 on Kindle. Sometimes I have to wait a year or so but they'll get below $10.00


I thought I was the only crazy person taking pics of books to check out later on Amazon  Glad to see I'm not the only one that does that lol. I'll add like 10 books to my wish list when I go to B&N by taking pics for later haha


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## niahflame (Apr 14, 2012)

Since I'm disabled and use a walker, I usually don't go to B&N. The one near me is really hard to walk around in with my walker. The aisles are soo crowded. Books a Million is easier, but they closed it! So I just use my library's website to check out ebooks or physical books. I suggest some for purchase and they always buy them, but it takes over 4 months to get the book in..


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## MelodieRochelle (Jan 4, 2016)

If I had all the money in the world, I would make my own library full of my personal favorites of the good old fashion books written in paper.


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## MariaESchneider (Aug 1, 2009)

geezergas said:


> Pre Kindle I loved our B&N, spent a lot of time in there. Actually shopped the Nook vs the Kindle. Since the Kindle the closest I get is the paper book rack in the grocery store. Many authors I like have they're books on the shelves, I look them over, if interested I take a picture and look it up on Amazon - put it in my wish list. Even some new authors (to me) I can read about books, hold them, look through them then download them to the Kindle. I am disappointed to see newer paperbacks <$10.00 but $14.99 on Kindle. Sometimes I have to wait a year or so but they'll get below $10.00


Those prices are what has driven me back to finding used paperbacks. I had virtually stopped buying them, but in the last year (maybe 2) it seems that books have really gone up in price. I usually check the library for new authors at that price. I can't take a chance on an unknown author at 14 dollars. Then there's always the used market.


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## N.Luckourt (Dec 6, 2015)

TommyHill said:


> I love going into book stores, and I'm sad to see they're on their way out. While the kindle is incredibly user-friendly, novel, and space-saving, it can never compare to having a physical hardcopy of a book. Strolling through stores that still sell books is how I find new ones to read. Browsing amazon just isn't the same.


I still go to B&N on occasion. It seems like lately it has been for gift cards. I actually love being surrounded by the books and browsing, but I prefer reading on my Kindle. My trips usually end up as a means to add to my book list


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## Desmond X. Torres (Mar 16, 2013)

I honestly can't remember the last time I was in one.

OTOH, I visit my library much more often- a couple times a year at least. Unlike the local chain store (up here it's called Chapters) the library has BOOKS across its floor, not half the floor filled with gifty stuff. I also donate a chunk of change to the library every year to promote reading.

Since my Kindlehood, I haven't read a paper book, and don't feel like I'm missing anything.


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## AnaJ (Jun 28, 2015)

I usually end up in a bookstore every time I'm in the middle of a city or a train station with some time to kill, which happens fairly often. I don't buy a lot of paperbacks anymore because reading them makes my eyes hurt, but it's still fun to browse.


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## Jim Johnson (Jan 4, 2011)

When I went to Minnesota to visit the in-laws for the holidays, I spent some time going to several local Half Price Books to find books on my wish list that were cheaper than the ebook version. Found a few and a few more books just by browsing the stacks. Good way to spend an afternoon.


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## Sarah Chute (Nov 11, 2015)

I went into a local used bookstore recently. It had been years since I was in it, and I had forgotten just how overwhelmingly wonderful it was.









books books books books! 

And this is just one shot from one corner. The whole store feels sort of like Olivander's wand shop but with books.


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## Shanna Moncuse (Jan 26, 2016)

Every week!

I make sure to hit the local Barnes and Nobles every Saturday. A couple of the stores have closed around us and I hope this one never does. I'd be pretty devastated. I've been visiting this one every Saturday since I was at least in middle school...so...for at least twelve years.


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## TammyC (Nov 17, 2009)

Sarah Chute said:


> I went into a local used bookstore recently. It had been years since I was in it, and I had forgotten just how overwhelmingly wonderful it was.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That looks wonderful!


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## TammyC (Nov 17, 2009)

Shanna Moncuse said:


> Every week!
> 
> I make sure to hit the local Barnes and Nobles every Saturday. A couple of the stores have closed around us and I hope this one never does. I'd be pretty devastated. I've been visiting this one every Saturday since I was at least in middle school...so...for at least twelve years.


Perfect way to spend a Saturday in my opinion. I was itching to go so bad last weekend, but sadly the the 18+ inches of snow prevented that. Luckily between my kindle and real books I still had plenty to read


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## Shanna Moncuse (Jan 26, 2016)

TammyC said:


> Perfect way to spend a Saturday in my opinion. I was itching to go so bad last weekend, but sadly the the 18+ inches of snow prevented that. Luckily between my kindle and real books I still had plenty to read


Oh, the snow would_ kill_ me (thank you, Cali weather)! Even if I have a huge TBR pile, I'm always itching for more. I'm addicted to bookstores!


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## etherme (Feb 24, 2014)

I do the horrible thing (like many other people) of using bookstores are a 'showroom floor' . . . and then order the book on Amazon. I'm a horrible person, I know.


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## Rebe James (Feb 4, 2016)

My favorite bookstores are those with used books, but they too are changing.  I used to take a shopping bag full of books into my favorite store and I'd spend hours looking for new treasures to take home.  But it's hard for them to stay in business I guess with all the new technology and gadgets that allow us to read anything anywhere.

Oh, the good old days ...


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## ancaiovita (Feb 13, 2016)

Even if I read 99% of the books on my Kindle, I still enjoy bookstores. But I rarely buy print books. This happens for 2 reasons:
1. I'm easily overwhelmed by the abundance of books and lack of instant book search. 
2. But worse than this (because I always take my time when perusing bookstores), I mainly find general topic books and I prefer extremely niche ones. The latter are just not economical to store and try to sell in a local brick-and-mortar shop, so I'll end up buying paperbacks online as well. Unless I get some from libraries.


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## anguabell (Jan 9, 2011)

In our part of South Florida, we lost almost all bookstores in the past few years, and I miss them desperately. Waldenbooks, Borders, small private ones, even most second-hand bookstores are gone. Not one of the shopping malls has a bookstore. All we have left is Barnes & Noble, and unfortunately the closest one is more like a big day care center (parents leave their kids there for hours, apparently) and concentrates on beach reading. Some books have marks and notes in them, and when you add the smell of food and the noise of the espresso machine - not my kind of place. Whenever I travel abroad, bookstores are the first place I'd go.


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## Joseph J Bailey (Jun 28, 2013)

We went to a local independent bookstore today.

We went in intending to get just one book and ended up coming out with close to ten.

Curse you bookstore!

(We did, however, leave with happy children and many imagined adventures to come).


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## AjaxMinoan (Oct 30, 2011)

I play Pathfinder, and so go to Barnes & Noble to buy new game books or adventure paths. 
  They have some other interesting things there like boards games as well. I'll try to pick up the sleeve for my paperwhite there as well. If I don't support the book store, the only one in my town will shut down.

  One cool thing about my area, is across the river we have the largest independent bookstore in the world. Powel's Books in Portland Oregon claims to be the biggest anyway. I've been in there, and it is huge.


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## SophieStern (Mar 7, 2015)

I live in Taiwan and there are still quite a few bookstores here. I love them! I can't find many English books where I live, but I still have a good time checking out new and used bookstores. The other day I managed to find a used bookstore with books all in Chinese except for two tattered romance novels in English. Totally made my day.


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## Nikki M. (Feb 29, 2016)

I love, love, love the couple independent bookstores within easy driving distance. Books are the go-to Christmas and birthday gifts in my family, and it's much more fun having an actual object to unwrap versus an eBook to download.  

I've also noticed that "browsing fatigue" takes longer to kick in at a brick-and-mortar store. I can quite happily burn an hour or two picking through the shelves, whereas twenty minutes on Amazon about does me in. Might have something to do with the sheer volume of digital options--I get overwhelmed!


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## Inglath Cooper (Mar 30, 2013)

I love going in bookstores. Always end up buying books because I always find something I want to read. Love my books on Kindle and the ones I can hold and read!


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## SidneyW (Aug 6, 2010)

I still like going to book stores, both used and new. The easiest to access near my home are chain stores, though there's a really nice, upper end used book store and a couple of new indy stores I browse also that are not too far away.

The used shop is small and has that wonderful smell of old books, and once in a while a nice cache from an estate or whatever shows up.

I also like to drop by the library's book store from time to time, great books and great prices. Happily many on sale there are donations and not just former library editions.


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## Kay Bratt (Dec 28, 2011)

I love bookstores, they are like a drug to me.  

These days I only go there to browse, or buy small gifts to appeal to bookworms. Over the holidays I went to BooksAMillion and bought a dozen crazy pens and a dozen amazing bookmarks that once pulled out like an accordion have famous art pieces on them. Both the pens and the bookmarks were only a couple bucks each and made great gifts to acquaintances. It's stuff that I can't find online and just make it more of a personal gift 'from a writer'.


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## 67499 (Feb 4, 2013)

Sarah Chute said:


> I went into a local used bookstore recently. It had been years since I was in it, and I had forgotten just how overwhelmingly wonderful it was.


I'm with Sarah. I haven't been in a B&N/big barn-type bookstore in 10yrs but I'm happy to wander thru any used bookshop - because the books there are the focus of the place, not all that other rubbish B&N sells, and that makes the books feel as tho' they have real lives I want to explore.


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## Guest (Mar 20, 2016)

Yes, in fact I love bookstores!! Last wednesday went to a local bookstore and spent 30 minutes there, I could have been there for more time lol!! I bought two books: Marianela by Benito Pérez Galdós and Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. I hope to return soon and buy more books!!


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