This 'Hold On Tight Shelf' from designer Colleen Whiteley features a moveable bookend that can be slid up snugly against one's collection so that it doesn't fall over under its own weight. For anyone who has argued with gravity while trying to delicately balance their awkwardly aligned books on an unsympathetic shelf, this design is a welcome relief.
The bookshelf uses a powder-coated aluminum cube and wingnut as the adjustable bookend, and beechwood with natural shellac for the shelf.
Of course, e-readers such as those from Kindle have been competing with books in recent years for literary supremacy. Granted, e-readers have many advantageous qualities; they can store information more compactly than a book, they are not as easily stained and they make you look hip.
However, books have their appeal as well, as the feeling one gets from turning pages and closing covers cannot be replicated with digital devices. Also, a shelf of books makes you look smart and thoughtful.
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Adjustable Bookshelves
- Create customizable bookshelves to prevent books from falling over and offer a unique storage solution.
- Competing with E-readers
- Develop innovative features and designs to keep physical books competitive with e-readers in terms of convenience and storage.
- Enhancing the Book Reading Experience
- Introduce technologies or designs that enhance the sensory and tactile experience of reading physical books.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Furniture Manufacturing
- Manufacture adjustable bookshelves and explore new materials and technologies for furniture design.
- Digital Publishing
- Invest in research and development for improved e-reader devices and platforms to compete with the traditional book market.
- Book Retailing
- Offer curated bookshelf solutions and accessories that enhance the appeal and functionality of physical book storage.
