The campus bookshop, which used to be located on the Level 4 Mall of the Academic Building will be moved down to Level 3 right next to the new escalator off the library entrance in the Green Zone. The new shop, sporting a complete facelift, is targeted for opening on 4 February. A new operator, the Commercial Press (HK) Ltd, will take over when the new venue is filled out, hopefully, with a wider choice of textbooks and general books, better services and more competitive prices.

"The main reason for the move," said Professor Y S Wong, Vice-President (Administration), "is to put the bookshop in a better and more convenient spot for students, staff and visitors. In so doing, we'll also free up space on the Mall for staff and students to relax, mingle and interact."

Over the past two years, improving the intellectual ambiance on campus has been high on the agenda of the University management and the redesigned bookshop is seen to be a major factor in this drive. The new store will sport a total makeover in design. It will start off with modern, ambient lighting and better display bookshelves with wider aisles, not to mention cushioned stools placed in strategic locations. Some walls will be decorated with paintings and posters hanging from the roof. There will be a narrow mezzanine corridor along the stores' north and east faces, connected to the main floor by a staircase. A larger floor area will be devoted to books, too, and the new operator, at appropriate time, will also help organize functions to lure book lovers. The idea is to create a comfortable, relaxed but absolutely inviting setting for students and staff to browse and read.