Electronic books may be threatening new book stores, but Georgann Francis and her used book store are managing to hang in there.

E-readers, such as the Kindle or the Nook, are often in the news, being blamed for wrecking havoc on bookstores. Not all bookstores are the same, however. Some are hardier than others. Those specializing in new books have had to move fast to keep up with the times - a case of adapt or die. Used books, on the other hand, have a higher tolerance for technological change. At least, that seems to be the case for Georgann Francis and Twice Told Tales.

Since going public in 2007, e-readers have played their part, along with changing consumer interests and a world-wide recession, in bookstores across the country closing their doors. The nation-wide chain Borders declared bankruptcy and was purchased at fire sale prices in September by Barnes & Noble, and many smaller stores are having just as tough a time.

But Francis is right where she has been for the past twenty-six years, tucked quietly in her used book store in the Copperfield neighborhood of Houston, TX. Here, amid piles of hardbacks and paperbacks of all sizes, she sells used books and chats with her customers. And she doesn't worry much about e-readers. While they have eaten into some of the sales at Twice Told Tales, and might take away even more in the future, the devices do not cause her to lose any sleep at night.

She doesn't even hate them.

"You'd think after twenty-six years in this business I would say they they are the worst thing to ever happen," Francis said with a laugh, "but I don't feel extremely negative about them. There are some advantages, such as storing plenty of books in a small space.

"Even more so, I like to see younger readers reading more books, and this seems to help that."

Love of reading aside, it is possible her attitude towards e-readers is helped because most of her long-time customers are, in fact, still her customers. Technology has not changed that.

"The people who come in here are readers. They like to come in here and look around. If they didn't have a love of books they wouldn't be here in the first place," Francis said. "I haven't seen a lot of my regular customers switch (to electronic books)."

Many people, though, are switching formats. Or at least buying their books in more than just the traditional way. Random House now states that e-books are twenty percent of their sales, and Simon & Shuster reports in at fifteen percent, figures which have new book stores paddling furiously to stay above water. Francis and her store have not been hit nearly as hard.

Twice Told Tales and other used book stores have a different customer base. Mainly that is because the people they sell to tend to have two qualities, one of which is thriftiness. Like many discount retailers, used book stores are lasting through recessionary times partly because of their price points.

"If someone wants a specific book it is cheaper here," Francis says. "Why pay seven dollars for it online when you can get it here for three and a half or four? Now, if they just want something to read, there are plenty of free downloads, or something to get for ninety-nine cents, but if they want something specific and they want it cheap, they come here."

The second quality of her customers is a love of physical books. Customers often tell Francis that they simply enjoy holding an actual book in their hands, and that is is much easier to flip back and forth through the pages to find a favorite part. While most e-readers do have search functions, they can be difficult to use, especially for those not used to the technology.

It is the divide between those who grew up with digital technology and those that did not which may end up hurting the store over the long term. Younger people are more comfortable reading on a screen, and may have even learned to read on a computer. Francis's biggest worry is that as she loses some of her older customers, she will not be able to replace them with younger ones.

"The worst-case scenario is there will be fewer first-time customers," she says, "and with the rising cost of doing business, that could make things tough."

Francis admits, though, that she has already lost some sales.

"People used to buy big bags of books to take with them on vacation," she said. "I don't see that as much anymore. With the luggage restrictions on airplanes now, it is much easier to take your books on a Kindle or a Nook."

Sales from school required-reading lists, usually a mainstay in her business, may also start to suffer. Although many teachers do not allow tablets and e-readers in the class, Francis said, many more do - a trend that is likely to increase as even more people buy the technology.

Even Francis herself owns a Kindle, although she says there isn't a single book on it. She uses it for its 3G connection in lieu of a laptop, and sometimes plays games on it.

"Maybe someday I'll be tempted to download a book," she said, "but it hasn't happened yet.

Overall, Francis says e-readers do not affect her business enough to worry about it. There could be a bigger drop-off in sales in the future, but she will deal with that if it happens.

Looking around at the the books she has sold for most of her adult life, and loved for as long as she can remember, she said, "I hate to see it all go away, but I don't think it is going to happen."