Paperback Dreams is a 2008 television documentary film about the fate of bookstores in the new economy, that was part of the KQED (San Francisco's PBS station) documentary film series, Truly CA.
"[3] Publishers Weekly notes that Beckstead became interested in the topic after becoming a "fan" of Cody's and Kepler's.
Beckstead stated: "When I heard Kepler's was closing [briefly in 2005], I was shocked: it's in one of the most affluent, educated cities in America—just 15 minutes from Stanford University—and it made me realize that if an independent bookstore couldn't survive there, there must be a larger story.
"[4] After making the documentary, Beckstead stated that he discovered "four elements essential to the survival of an independent bookstore: Own your own building [...] Hire experienced staff [...] Sell used books [...] Figure out some way to sell books online.
"[4] Paperback Dreams aired on PBS stations beginning in November 2008.