Malaysia / Sharjah, UAE, 15 July 2026 — Nearly twenty years ago, BookXcess began as a small bookstore in Amcorp Mall with a simple belief: reading should be accessible and enjoyable for everyone. Today, that belief has grown into one of Malaysia’s most recognised bookstore brands and is now set to reach readers across the Middle East and Africa.
BookXcess has entered into a strategic partnership with the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) to bring its distinctive experiential bookstore concept to the United Arab Emirates. Under the agreement, the Sharjah Book Authority has secured the exclusive rights to develop and operate the BookXcess bookstore concept throughout the Middle East and Africa, marking a significant milestone for both organisations and an important chapter in the international expansion of a proudly Malaysian brand.
Unlike traditional bookstores that focus primarily on retail, BookXcess has reimagined what a bookstore can be. Its destinations combine books, architecture, art, community spaces, cafés, lifestyle concepts and public gathering areas to create places where people choose to spend time. Bookstores become date destinations, study spaces, weekend attractions and cultural landmarks that encourage people to discover the joy of reading.
At the heart of this vision is The Library by BookXcess at Sunway Square.
Spanning 38,000 square feet and home to more than one million books, The Library by BookXcess is the largest 24-hour bookstore in Southeast Asia. More than a bookstore, it has become one of Malaysia’s most visited cultural destinations, attracting families, students, tourists and readers who come not only for books, but also for its architecture, artistic installations and welcoming public spaces.
From the award-winning BookXcess RexKL, housed within a restored heritage cinema, to The Library by BookXcess at Sunway Square, BookXcess has built a reputation for transforming underutilised spaces into vibrant destinations that strengthen communities through books, creativity and culture.
The partnership was formalised through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at The Library by BookXcess on 6 July 2026. The agreement was signed by Andrew Yap, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of BookXcess, and H.E. Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, Chief Executive Officer of the Sharjah Book Authority, in the presence of Jacqueline Ng, Co-Founder and Executive Director of BookXcess, and H.H. Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Book Authority.
Through this partnership, BookXcess will contribute its expertise in designing and operating experiential bookstore destinations, while the Sharjah Book Authority will lead the development of the concept across the Middle East and Africa. Together, the organisations aim to create destinations where books become the starting point for learning, creativity, community and lifelong discovery, complementing Sharjah’s internationally recognised leadership in culture, publishing and education.
Andrew Yap, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of BookXcess, said:
“We are deeply honoured to partner with the Sharjah Book Authority on this exciting journey. Sharjah has long been recognised as one of the world’s leading cultural capitals, with an extraordinary commitment to books, knowledge and education. We share the same belief that reading has the power to transform lives and strengthen communities.
The Library by BookXcess has shown that a bookstore can be much more than a place to buy books. It can become a destination where people gather, discover ideas, spend time together and build a lifelong relationship with reading.
Our ambition is not simply to bring another bookstore to Sharjah. Together with the Sharjah Book Authority, we hope to create a world-class destination that inspires more people to read while complementing Sharjah’s remarkable vision for culture, learning and innovation.
For us, this is more than international expansion. It is an opportunity for a Malaysian-grown idea to contribute to one of the world’s great cultural ecosystems, and we are excited about what we can build together.”