The news of a decision by the World Bank's leadership to close its superb InfoShop Bookstore is tragic, lacks foresight, and in juxtaposition with the WB initiatives to improve literacy and access to knowledge. Science shows the printed word imprints knowledge better than reading in a computer. Wake-up World Bank leaders and reverse your decision to close your bookstore that is not losing money but is truly helping to educate the public as well as promote the positive work of the WB.
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Anonymous
9 years ago
The true value of InfoShop has been not only to showcase the Bank publications but also to make accessible to the public a huge collection of books on broad development issues.
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Anonymous
9 years ago
Please keep the infoshop bookstore open. A tremendous resource here in DC on international topics.
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Anonymous
9 years ago
Please keep it open.
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Harry Blair
9 years ago
The Infoshop has been a key source for development literature for many years, arguably THE key source nowadays. Closing it would do serious damage to the international development community in the US. Please do reconsider.
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Deborah Prindle
9 years ago
I have spent many happy hours at InfoShop book launches, lectures, and browsing the book collections and buying my choices, several times a month over the years. The international fiction is a particularly unusual collection and place to become aware of new international authors. As an international development consultant to USAID and other donors, the InfoShop events have been important in keeping me abreast of new findings and recommendations in my field.
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Jorge Kamine
9 years ago
No single bookstore in the area maintains the array of texts and publications that the Infoshop maintains, particularly as it relates to development, international economics, and sector-specific analysis (e.g. energy, education, etc.). Moreover, the Infoshop is now one of only a handful of physical bookstores located in downtown DC at a time when people are realizing the importance and value of maintaining independent bookstores, particularly those stores providing immediate access and the ability to browse publications that have a specific professional, technical or academic focus. Closing the Infoshop will leave a tremendous gap which will not be addressed by any other bookstore. If anything, it would be great to see the store do more events and encourage more engagement and discussion by Bank and non-Bank staff. As a "member" of Politics & Prose, I would be happy to pay some form of membership fee if it helped to keep the Infoshop open by subsidizing or underwriting the operating costs of the Infoshop.
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Ronald Sitnick
9 years ago
The World Bank Bookstore is a unique resource. It allows the staff and the general public access to the work of the Bank and it's perspective. Regardless of digital distribution, having a physical source for all to access is still needed.
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Bart van Liebergen
9 years ago
This bookstore is a unique, accessible source of knowledge right in the heart of DC. Regardless of digital ways of distribution these days, the World Bank could lose a powerful way to spread its insights to many visitors and policymakers.
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Diana Pirjol
9 years ago
I think there is a lot of value for having it opened. I personally bought many books from there and I am sure many have and are if the bookstore stays open.
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Yasmin Khan
9 years ago
Please keep the World Bank Bookstore. I appreciate the need to streamline to digital channels. However, an opportunity is being lost in redefining physical space to disseminate information - books and other goods - and promote all the good works the World Bank is doing!
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Michael Cortese
9 years ago
The world bank bookstore allows staff and the public to better understand the work of the organization and the issue of poverty. It is the only physical portal of the place that anyone can access. To close it is to close a venue that serves to cast the role of the bank in its best light. It is an idiotic decision that one can only imagine began in the realm of higher management.
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Deborah DeYoung
9 years ago
This bookstore is unique in boosting the energy and ideas of those working toward better lives for people in developing countries - having it open leverages so much goodwill, why on Earth would you shut it down?!
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Mitchell Wiener
9 years ago
The World Bank bookstore has publications that can be found nowhere else in Washington. It also creates a positive image of the World Bank with the general public and is a cost-effective means of outreach.
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julie meraz
9 years ago
love books!! keep it open
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shaghayegh
9 years ago
Be kind with animals.
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Anil Somani
9 years ago
What a sad situation. It is more than a Bookstore. Closing down an icon of the Bank. What next?
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Anonymous
9 years ago
An excellent resource that also highlights what the WB does. It would be a shame to close it.
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donald l sparks
9 years ago
What a loss! I have used materials from the shop for students literally all over the world! Don't close!
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Andrew Gnau
9 years ago
I sincerely hope the World Bank will reconsider closing this bookstore. I always say this is my 2nd favorite bookstore on the planet -- next to the Harvard Coop in Harvard Square. For enthusiasts of politics, economics, current affairs, international affairs, and all of the other topics that this bookstore specialized in, there is no one else even close in the area. It is sad for me to imagine D.C. (of all places!) without such a resource.
The news of a decision by the World Bank's leadership to close its superb InfoShop Bookstore is tragic, lacks foresight, and in juxtaposition with the WB initiatives to improve literacy and access to knowledge. Science shows the printed word imprints knowledge better than reading in a computer. Wake-up World Bank leaders and reverse your decision to close your bookstore that is not losing money but is truly helping to educate the public as well as promote the positive work of the WB.
The true value of InfoShop has been not only to showcase the Bank publications but also to make accessible to the public a huge collection of books on broad development issues.
Please keep the infoshop bookstore open. A tremendous resource here in DC on international topics.
Please keep it open.
The Infoshop has been a key source for development literature for many years, arguably THE key source nowadays. Closing it would do serious damage to the international development community in the US. Please do reconsider.
I have spent many happy hours at InfoShop book launches, lectures, and browsing the book collections and buying my choices, several times a month over the years. The international fiction is a particularly unusual collection and place to become aware of new international authors. As an international development consultant to USAID and other donors, the InfoShop events have been important in keeping me abreast of new findings and recommendations in my field.
No single bookstore in the area maintains the array of texts and publications that the Infoshop maintains, particularly as it relates to development, international economics, and sector-specific analysis (e.g. energy, education, etc.). Moreover, the Infoshop is now one of only a handful of physical bookstores located in downtown DC at a time when people are realizing the importance and value of maintaining independent bookstores, particularly those stores providing immediate access and the ability to browse publications that have a specific professional, technical or academic focus. Closing the Infoshop will leave a tremendous gap which will not be addressed by any other bookstore. If anything, it would be great to see the store do more events and encourage more engagement and discussion by Bank and non-Bank staff. As a "member" of Politics & Prose, I would be happy to pay some form of membership fee if it helped to keep the Infoshop open by subsidizing or underwriting the operating costs of the Infoshop.
The World Bank Bookstore is a unique resource. It allows the staff and the general public access to the work of the Bank and it's perspective. Regardless of digital distribution, having a physical source for all to access is still needed.
This bookstore is a unique, accessible source of knowledge right in the heart of DC. Regardless of digital ways of distribution these days, the World Bank could lose a powerful way to spread its insights to many visitors and policymakers.
I think there is a lot of value for having it opened. I personally bought many books from there and I am sure many have and are if the bookstore stays open.
Please keep the World Bank Bookstore. I appreciate the need to streamline to digital channels. However, an opportunity is being lost in redefining physical space to disseminate information - books and other goods - and promote all the good works the World Bank is doing!
The world bank bookstore allows staff and the public to better understand the work of the organization and the issue of poverty. It is the only physical portal of the place that anyone can access. To close it is to close a venue that serves to cast the role of the bank in its best light. It is an idiotic decision that one can only imagine began in the realm of higher management.
This bookstore is unique in boosting the energy and ideas of those working toward better lives for people in developing countries - having it open leverages so much goodwill, why on Earth would you shut it down?!
The World Bank bookstore has publications that can be found nowhere else in Washington. It also creates a positive image of the World Bank with the general public and is a cost-effective means of outreach.
love books!! keep it open
Be kind with animals.
What a sad situation. It is more than a Bookstore. Closing down an icon of the Bank. What next?
An excellent resource that also highlights what the WB does. It would be a shame to close it.
What a loss! I have used materials from the shop for students literally all over the world! Don't close!
I sincerely hope the World Bank will reconsider closing this bookstore. I always say this is my 2nd favorite bookstore on the planet -- next to the Harvard Coop in Harvard Square. For enthusiasts of politics, economics, current affairs, international affairs, and all of the other topics that this bookstore specialized in, there is no one else even close in the area. It is sad for me to imagine D.C. (of all places!) without such a resource.