A surprisingly popular feature of the recently concluded winter book fair in Beijing were special booths where people could hand in old or secondhand books that were cluttering up their homes.

All the books collected will be donated to public libraries or schools in poorer areas of China.

The Beijing News applauded the establishment of book donation booths, adding that the idea should be extended to book donation drives in residential communities.

In a commentary, the paper said many people have stacks of old books and a desire to donate them to a worthy cause, but because of their busy lifestyle, it may not be convenient for them to go to a designated book despository.

The paper added that since the fair is only held once every four months, it also limits the opportunities for donating books.

An additional benefit of book donation drives, the paper said, is that it could help create a healthy cultural environment in residential communities.

The paper also suggested that residential communities could establish reading stations or small libraries, which can help collecting books donated by residents, as well as provide a valuable service for people who have little access to various reading materials.