There's a tiny secondhand foreign-language bookshop in Xujiahui that feels less like a shop and more like a secret you're let in on. It's called Bibliovores, and it's open 24 hours a day, with no staff, no cashier, and everything running on trust.

Getting there is almost too easy. Exit Xujiahui Metro Station Exit 8, walk into Shanghai Industrial Building (上海实业大厦), take the elevator to the 4th floor, and follow the big letter signs toward G. You'll find a very unremarkable glass office door with a note that reads,"Knowledge is open to everyone, so is this door." Beyond the first door is another one that requires a password. The clues are taped nearby, and while it's easy to figure out, it adds a small, slightly playful moment before you step into the space.

After around 7pm, the building's main entrance closes. If you're visiting at night, head to the side entrance near China Merchants Bank, it feels a bit like sneaking through a back alley, but it'll get you inside.

Inside, the space is small but packed, with shelves of mostly English and French books donated by expats who once lived in Shanghai and moved on. The selection feels personal rather than curated: old travel guides, children's books, romance, mystery and thrillers, horror and gothic fiction, historical novels, cookbooks, and the occasional unexpected find. Prices are simple, 5 to 40rmb, based on page count and binding, and there's a self-service stamp you can add before checking out.

Bibliovores is a charity bookshop, with all proceeds going to a long-running nonprofit supporting children in need in China. You may have the place entirely to yourself, which means keeping things tidy, paying honestly, turning off the lights, and locking up when you leave. It's quiet, calming, and a gentle reminder that places like this only work if people behave decently.
It's easy to lose an hour or two digging. You can buy a book, stamp it, read it, and bring it back later so it can keep circulating.

Volunteers are always welcome too.

Bibliovores

Room G, 4/F, 18 Caoxi Bei Lu, near Hongqiao Lu Xuhui District

Looking for English language books in Shanghai? Browse our directory here.