Supporters of Menlo Park Store Formalize As Kepler's 2020 Project

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Efforts to stabilize, preserve and redefineKepler's Books in Menlo Park, CA that we covered in January have taken shapeinto a formal Kepler's 2020 initiative, announced via press release and at thestore's web site. "The project aims to create an innovative hybridbusiness model that includes a for-profit, community-owned-and-operatedbookstore, and a nonprofit organization that will feature on-stage authorinterviews, lectures by leading intellectuals, educational workshops and otherliterary and cultural events."

As noted previously, entrepreneur PraveenMadan is leading "a volunteer transition team [that] has begun work on acomprehensive development, financial and operational plan" for the store.Among the initiatives they are considering are: POD, "an e-book friendlyin-store browsing experience; concierge services to provide 'literarymatchmaking' for customers, book swaps and other innovative programs to bringpeople of all ages together around their shared love of books; and a speaker’sbureau with readership development services for emerging authors." Theyare launching a new capital campaign this month to raise $100,000 to supportongoing operations at the store.
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