Changing market
Book reading in China is always changing. China street libraries and used books are newcomers.
Near Sanlitun in Beijing I discovered this “street library” where one can get books from a vending machine, called “Chaoyang District Library”, obviously with the usual QR-code approach.
The Sanlitun former “dirty bar street” now counts two new modern book libraries where people can read some books while sipping a drink. The Page One book shop in Taikooli is still in business.
Sadly our beloved The Bookworm is gone and no similar venue exists as for now. As a result the choice of foreign books is dramatically reduced.
Used books
A new trend is the growing interest in used books.
See this interesting article, only available in French:
30 janvier 2019 – “Les livres d’occasion : à échanger sans modération”
Source: La Chine au présent
http://www.chinatoday.com.cn/ctfrench/2018/dzg/201901/t20190130_800155628.html
or see here: 190130livres_occasion
Some highlights, see the full article for details.
There are some major platforms to exchange used books:
- Yushu set up by Shang Xiaohu on 15 June 2017, platform for the sales of used books.
- Set up on 17 August 2017, Xiongmaogezi platform for the sale of used books on WeChat.
- Set up in May 2017, Duozhuayu is another platform using WeChat.
- Set up in May 2018 in Chengdu: Manyoujing.
- Others: idleFish (Alibaba Group) et Kongfuzi Jiushuwang.