The smell of a musty and tattered  book and the sound of opening a crisp book entice some readers just like the wafting smell of  delectable taste of an exquisite five-course meal entices food lovers.

But what if that food became digital? Texture, taste, smell–all lost?

Fortunately the digital era has not attacked our taste buds just yet, but it is beginning to eat away at literature.

Borders, a once renowned chain bookstore, closed all stores in the summer of 2011 due to the digital world overtaking printed books.

Although some may say digital reading on the Kindle, Ipad, Nook, etc. is more accessible and having these appliances are beneficial, others, especially Barnes and Noble (B&N), a bookstore chain that remains open, have begun to mourn the loss of words printed on paper.

Even though B&N is in control of the Nook, B&N announced to “The Wall Street Journal” that the company would close 30 percent of all its stores.

Primarily due to the rise in electronic readers, B&N reported a 10 percent drop in sales this past December over the previous year in 2011.

However, even in this technological era, some teens have not lost sight of the paperback books.

“Paperback books are what I know. I enjoy them more than digital readers because I’ve grown up that way and I think technology already consumes so much stuff,” sophomore Jackie Reinbott said.

However, even the Lafayette Library is now turning to Nooks as they have 18 Nooks in 3 different colors that contain a variety of books on them.

Librarian Nichole Ballard-Long claims that nowadays she only goes to the book store if it is an absolute necessity because buying online tends to be cheaper and more hassle free, even though she does like to browse around and look at new books in store.

“I personally like to read on an eReader, I like to carry multiple books around with me, especially on vacations,” Ballard-Long said.

The future of the six St. Louis B&N stores remain undecided, but some think that 30 percent, 689 B&N stores to 450 stores, is just the beginning.

Ballard-Long said, “I think some day bookstores, physical bookstores, will be gone; unfortunately for good.”