They’ve been saying it in one form or another for years – America doesn’t read anymore.  Well, they’re saying it again, this time with a bunch of numbers. 

According to Associated Press, the Book Industry Study Group expects the number of books sold in the U.S. to drop by more than 60 million copies by 2011. In 2007, 2.282 billion books were sold – by 2011, 2.220 billion books will make their way from the store to America’s bookshelves. 

But I just can’t be a pessimist.  Do these numbers include books sold through used bookstores, or websites like Amazon Marketplace and Half.com, where customers can buy books from individuals? 

Books can be expensive, especially if you’re a student.  Fourteen dollars for a soft cover?  Minimum wagers would have to work two hours to make that, and that doesn’t include tax.  I turn to used bookstores and the Internet to fill my reading list; in fact, I can’t remember the last time I bought something at Borders or Barnes & Nobles, and those are the sales industry groups can track.

So, fellow readers, what do you think?  Is print dead?  Are book sales going to continue declining?  Or are more readers simply finding cheaper, under-the-radar alternatives?