Big row over tiny bookstore’s closure in China

SHANGHAI - A move by authorities at a Chinese university to close down a campus bookstore has been vehemently opposed by students and teachers alike who describe the shop as a “garden of knowledge”.

The group of about 30 people from East China Normal University have signed a petition to prevent the small bookstore from being closed by the university.

In the petition, they expressed regret at the university’s decision to close the Daxia Bookstore, saying it had played an important role as it offered a great collection of classic books, the Shanghai Daily reported.

“The little bookstore is quite rare to see around the university and it has become the small ‘garden of knowledge’ to students and teachers,” the petition said.

“There are many other small shops at the school and we wonder why the bookstore is the only one to be closed.”

Despite the petition, university officials said the bookstore would still be closed, as its contract expired Aug 31.

An official surnamed Xie said the university did not renew the bookstore’s contract because it plans to replace it with a much bigger bookstore.

“We are now contacting several bookstore chains, which will surely offer better services,” Xie said.

Zhou Jian, 30, owner of the eight-year-old Daxia Bookstore, said he felt helpless about the decision.

But he didn’t blame the university. He said he believes it was the online book stores, which often sell books at much cheaper prices, that crushed his business.