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Tucked away in busy Central is Flowbooks, a book shop specializing in English
second-hand books established by CUHK’s alumnae Surdham Lam Sum in 1997.
A graduate in History and Philosophy, Lam started the concept when working for
Produce Green Foundation as an education officer, after completing his spiritual
journey in India in 1996. He sees the book shop as an extension of his concern for
environmental protection. By recycling books in diverse ways, the values of books are
ascertained. Disposed books are given a chance to be reborn by readers who want
them. The “flow” of books is more than just the physical sense. It is also a flow of
values.
Lam called for his customers to be become “guardians” of books i.e. they accept
the responsibility by promising that books will be circulated again after being
read. It encourages more circulation and the values are enhanced. An amount of
money which is equivalent to that of the books’ values is donated to charitable
organizations. Books might be free and yet, they have values. Donation is exactly
an accreditation of their values. This experiment is brought in ICARE Book Fair this
year, calling for all to treasure the values of books. For Lam, books are good vehicles
to open one’s eyes and widen one’s horizon, making one to make sense of life with
clear attitude.
As the only full-time personnel of the book shop, Lam hangs on to this 18-year-
old operation with the support of volunteers. Income is unstable and the situation
has been worsening in the past two years with weakened habits of reading. But
challenges also present opportunities for Lam to think hard about the way forward
for the book shop. He insists on operating as a commercial entity with self-conscious
social responsibility, instead of being a charitable organization. For him, a good
example of social enterprise can only be set for others when cost-effectiveness and
valuable endeavours are combined. Lam is more than willing to be a pioneer in this
virgin terrain.
An evident book-lover, Lam finds inspiration in The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
which reminds him of the power of being present in the moment, the here and now.
“Be the change you want to see in the world”, a quote by Gandhi, is Lam’s motto in
reminding others the values of books, and how they can be manifested in life.
Tiny and often over-looked, Lam’s second-hand book shop in Central is where
creative power lies with willing guardians staying on.
擴闊價值的版圖
樹單一邊分享關於書本以至書店的點滴，一邊忙於書店大小事務，一時於書堆中「攀
爬」取出合用書籍，一時取過客人的紙條代他尋書，一時為書本定價。時間如二手
書流動，書店踏入第十八年了，一路走來，崎嶇嗎？「無時無刻都有挑戰，就迎難
而上吧。」作為商業機構，書店面對成本的沉重壓力，現址租金三萬多元，就只有
樹單自己是全職員工，其他人是「仗義相助」，書店收入並不穩定，「現在連租金
都要補貼的，我沒有支薪，也是義工來的。」他淡然一笑，說社會這兩年整體的閱
讀風氣不強，書店相繼倒閉，是一個「非常時期」，不過同時製造了機會，讓他認
真思考如何將書店轉營，以回應當下的轉變。
既然財政擔子如此沉重，何解書店仍堅持成為「自覺帶出社會責任的商業機構」，
而不轉做慈善機構呢？原來樹單是希望擴大書店的影響力，「假如做有意義事情的
同時，能夠產生成本效益，才能鼓勵其他人仿效。」「就如 Yunus（諾貝爾和平獎
得主尤努斯）所說，希望每個商業機構最後能夠成為強調社會責任的社會企業，但
要如何做到呢？要先由一些社企開始，證明這樣是可行。」在擴闊價值版圖的路上，
樹單願意首先出發。
當下的力量
致力守護書本價值的人，想必曾被書本深深打動。問樹單有多喜歡閱讀，他謙虛笑言：
「相比真正喜歡看書的人，我算是小巫見大巫，不算是很嚴重的書痴，剛剛合格。」
那家中有多少藏書？「計不了，我自已的藏書經已與這裡的書混為一體。」能否分
享一本為個人帶來啟發的書？「The Power of Now（Eckhart Tolle 著），我有時
也會翻閱這本書。我相信當下的力量，時時提醒自己要怎回應當下發生的事。」
樹單對書店、「飄流書」等有關書本的事情侃侃而談，到頭來，最想要提醒人感受
書的價值，讓書的價值在生命中展現。「如甘地所言，Be the change you want to
see in the world。我們每人都在做甘地。」
「我覺得開這間書店都是一種幸運，一開始我也沒有計劃，或者一定要藉此得到什
麼，但一步走來有很多發現，每天都是一個創造。」相信當下的力量，座落中環的
這間二手書店，看似是個不起眼的空間，但每天都蘊藏關於創造的能量，而書本價
值的守護者駐足在此。
Surdham Lam Sum – the guardian of books
