A new year typically means positive change, but a recent announcement will lead to a tragic change to the community of Reston in 2013.

As an International Baccalaureate school, South Lakes utilizes many tools which contribute to an innovative learning experience. Particularly, books are resources necessary for success.

Barnes & Noble has enriched the town of Reston for years. But, in early 2013, the Reston’s most valuable bookstore will close and be replaced by The Container Store.

That leaves no bookstore that can provide new books to the Reston community. We must save this valuable resource. It is crucial to our school, but more than just our students. Our teachers, our town, and our community rely on Barnes & Noble.

The next closest bookstore that sells new novels is the Barnes & Noble in Tyson’s Corner, over twenty minutes from its Reston location. That location is inconvenient for us Restonians who are used to the convenience of stopping by a neighboring location and picking up books.

We must save this incredible and welcoming store, which is more than just a store. It is a gathering of all varieties of people who are avid readers and share an interest in books. Sometimes it is difficult to remember that Barnes & Noble is a widespread corporation because the Reston location has such a personal atmosphere.

It is difficult to imagine a reality without such a positive store with an inclusive and welcoming environment. It also outrages us that Barnes & Noble wishes to stay but is being forced out by the leasers of Spectrum Shopping Center.

We must advocate for Barnes & Noble’s Reston survival. Our town depends on its vast wealth of resources. We encourage everyone to sign the “Save the Reston Barnes & Noble” petition. We cannot thrive without a source of new knowledge.

This is not to say that we do not appreciate used bookstores, particularly the Reston’s Used Book Shop in Lake Anne Shopping Center. Used bookstores, as well as libraries, serve an important purpose, but in an intellectual society such as Reston, how can a community logically rely on only used materials? Although both are open seven days a week, their hours are more limited than those of Barnes & Noble.

Additionally, used bookstores do not have the vast selection that a large-scale bookstore like Barnes & Noble has.

Forcing the store to leave will create a major void in our community and the fact that The Container Store will take Barnes & Noble’s place is puzzling.

There is already a plethora of retailers in the area that sell containers. We do not need to contain our lives as much as we need to enrich our lives.

Knowledge should overwhelmingly supplant plastic.

They are rich in knowledge and the thought of having to do without such valuable resources disgusts us.

We shudder to think of how our Reston community would function without an accessible bookstore. Please sign the petition and save our Barnes & Noble at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/save-the-reston-barnes-nobles/.