Booksellers, publishers back in business but rules of the game have changed

Halted print sales, soaring online demand hint at future of industry

After two months of minimal print sales, the publishing industry is turning the page with operational guidelines for printers, suppliers, warehouses, distributors, and wholesalers for a business dominated by brick-and-mortar sales. 

The lockdown may be over in most markets, but the aftereffects are being felt now. 

The iconic Full Circle bookstore in Khan Market in New Delhi has closed a two-decade-old chapter, boding ill for a business in a world focused on high touch zones, social distancing, and air ventilation to prevent the spread of a contagion. 

Amrita Somaiya, owner of Kitab Khana in Mumbai, says, "It has been a difficult time for