Harrisburg (WHTM) – August 9 is National Book Lovers Day, a day for people who love to read, love books, or both. It’s a day to celebrate an invention that’s shaped our cultures, enriched our lives, stretched our minds, and given us something else to do on a rainy day besides stare out the window.

But it was purely coincidental that we did a story about a bookstore on this day forty years ago. Located in downtown Harrisburg, The World’s Smallest Bookstore opened on August 8, 1983. When we visited the next day, it was already attracting a clientele.

The bookstore didn’t last all that long, and in truth, I don’t remember when it folded. It was also an open question whether it actually was the world’s smallest bookstore. But it was always a fun place to visit and browse, as long as you weren’t prone to bouts of claustrophobia.

Incidentally, there are a lot of other days honoring books besides National Book Lovers Day. World Book Day is April 23, and National Book Month takes place in November. There’s also Dictionary Day, Great Poetry Reading Day, Black Speculative Fiction Month, International Children’s Book Day, and Free Comic Book Day. And don’t forget National Authors Day – can’t have books without authors, can we?