The previous post mentioned Porter Square Books in Cambridge.
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I was lingering there, I was early for something and had a few minutes. But after a time, I felt like I was “using” the place. I wasn’t planning on buying anything. At that moment, it was less a store than a fresh-stocked library.

Regarding this guilt:
1) I wanted to make a donation, a tip jar for the store itself, not particular employees.  I wanted to treat it like a WiFi connection, with an optional, pay-for-use “jar”.

2) Could frequent tipping, with no purchasing, buy you into the discount club? The co-op…*

* I draw heavily from Clay Shirky on the local bookstore problem, a post I’m still digesting.