Like Mark Twain, whose supposed 1897 demise was famously dismissed as an exaggeration, the independent bookstore is alive and well in the East Bay—if few and far between.

The impact of "big box" retailers—not to mention Amazon—on the small, independent booksellers that were once a fixture of every Main Street, USA, is undeniable. Most of them were killed off, the lure of low prices and overnight delivery tough to resist. E-readers, too, had an impact, though they have not become the unmitigated disaster that fans of printed paper might have feared.

When communities lost their independent booksellers, they lost much more than just another small business. Thankfully, before they could go the way of the dodo, a handful of independent booksellers bobbed, weaved, and reinvented themselves. For the towns they serve, they have become community centers, places to learn, relax, and socialize.

Take Partners Village Store in Westport. A longtime Main Road fixture, the addition of a popular kitchen and cafe means that you don't even have to leave for lunch. But their books—a couple of rooms of adult offerings and one for children—remains central to their mission. Elizabeth Lane, their book buyer, credits trust and the community experience with their continued success. "There's a curatorial aspect to buying for a store like Partners. We make a point of knowing our reader, and buying for that reader." Lane is also aware that reader changes a bit as the year-round resident, ("they appreciate non-fiction, gardening, natural history") gives way to a seasonal demographic. "Our readers appreciate titles that aren't necessarily in the mainstream," Lane says. "Yes, Amazon is able to sell for less because they buy in such volume," Lane notes. "But the great thing about selling books is their transparency. The publisher's price is printed right on the book jacket."

As for e-readers, Lane admits bookstores were nervous a handful of years ago, but have since found that they aren't an either/or proposition. Consumers are embracing both, for example, using e-readers for travel, while still giving print books as gifts. The tactile feeling of a book is still very much appreciated.

At Barrington Books, General Manager Jennifer Massotti also credits community support for the store's successful 30 year run. "The current owners, who purchased the store in 2008, saw a need to diversify and they did, with community input," says Massotti. The formula has been so successful, they opened another store, Barrington Books Retold, in Cranston's Garden City this fall. "We focus on offering the customer an authentic, individualized experience—something unique, that you just con't get online."

The New England Independent Booksellers Association (NEIBA) maintains a listing of area independent bookstores which also includes Island Books in Middletown, Spring Street Bookstore in Newport, and Books on the Square in Providence. Visit NewEnglandBooks.org for more information.