In response to the debate currently going on in China about whether university libraries should open to the general public, this article attempts to sort through the controversy by identifying misperceptions and clarifying related facts. After a brief review of American university libraries' practices of serving community users, it presents findings from a quantitative analysis of relevant articles ever published in Chinese journals, to gain a perspective on the debate. It then introduces the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library in San Jose, California, as a special case of university library serving the general public. In conclusion, the author argues that university libraries in China should each make their own decision according to their internal and external circumstances, recognize different approaches to serving community users, and be discretionary with the level of services provided.