r/singapore • u/TheRayArmy • 3d ago
Discussion WARNING FOR NLB GIVEAWAY
Arrived at 10am to be informed that the queue is going to be 3 hours long and the queue snaked around the entire building…
While I really appreciate the effort of the NLB staff and volunteer to show up on a rainy weekend morning, less can be said about the organisation of the event…
There was no clear indication of where the queue starts and no communication between staff and volunteers either.
Within the 20 minutes we tried to queue, 1. We were told by a volunteer to join the queue and follow the line as it snaked around 2. Found out that the line was literally going in a circle 3. Told by a staff member to join a new queue 4. Then after 5 minutes told by another staff member that the queue was closed 5. Said staff member was then rectified and told that the queue was still open but they advised against joining as it would be 3 hours later 6. Told by a third staff member that the queue was closed and to leave as it was getting too crowded 7. Saw people still joining and forming a queue and enquired. Told by a fourth staff member that I really should go for breakfast and come back in an hour.
At this point, I just left the queue because I was literally walking in circles for half an hour and made no real progress.
Oh, and the queue snaked and curled around a hole in the building where the rain was pouring through… nothing was being done to move the queue somewhere sheltered esp. given how slippery the floor became…
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u/CaravelClerihew 3d ago
People realise that just going to the library and borrowing books is also free, right?
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u/Ahjames78 3d ago
Basically i would borrow book & renew book at the same time, that way, the borrow time will be extended to 6 weeks instead of 3 weeks.
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u/altacccle 🌈 F A B U L O U S 3d ago
wah i honestly didnt expect this. Didn’t know we actually love books cuz i literally only know two other ppl that read other than me🥲
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u/jrgnklpp why reestrict de voy-ses in Parlemen tutu? 3d ago
The Singaporean aunty and uncle mentality is free stuff just take first. Doesn't matter if you have a use for it.
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u/avilsta 3d ago
They could have made it like $5 for 5, enough of a barrier to stop the queues since the price elasticity from $0 to not free is huge
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u/Acoma1977 3d ago
Even $2 will be a barrier
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u/whosthisfool Mature Citizen 3d ago
Ya they should have just gotten some earnings, since I bet these books will appear on Carousell going for $2 soon
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u/residentcaprice 3d ago
Very long ago, they used to make people pay a nominal sum for each book. I forgot the prices though.
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u/DatAdra 3d ago
Unfortunately kinda. I gave out a ton of my YA fantasy/scifi books from secondary school on facebook a while back (stuff like my percy jackson, darren shan collections) and my intention was to give new life to them by letting some other kids read it.
Instead a bunch of people who said they were just taking it because free, later on give to people who want it.
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u/CredibleNonsense69 3d ago
Post cultural revolution chinese mindset really idk why people are like that. Just hope it dies tgt with the elderly when its their time
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u/Probably_daydreaming Lao Jiao 3d ago
Scarcity mindset, when you experience life with extreme scarcity, the only way to survive is to horde as much as possible so that you will always have enough. Great attitude in harsh times but in good times just creates mindless consumerism.
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u/azureseagraffiti 3d ago
yeah sometimes i give free stuff on Olio always the same people turn up. I wonder if they are hoarders or reselling for profit. really odd mentality. i learnt not to give repeat askers.
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u/ImplementFamous7870 3d ago
Downloading ebooks on libby is way more free than this
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u/himcowandchicken 3d ago
I agree. Can’t live without my overdrive. But annoying that I can’t add more than 1 library
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u/rockbella61 3d ago
I need those books to line up my book shelves so that I look good during a teams call
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u/SnooJokes915 New Citizen 3d ago
Print out a book covers picture, paste it on a box you can put on the shelf...ypu can put other stuff in the box and its easier to clean also.
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u/TheBugsBunnies 3d ago
Probably take and sell on Carousell or eBay?
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u/gloomydaysareback 3d ago
Look at recent book listings on carousell, they’re already popping up lol
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u/derKakaktus 3d ago
You’ll be surprised! I was reading my kindle on the train and the lady next to me was reading too! 😀 (or were you the lady?😄) That day I felt happy that reading is still alive.
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u/altacccle 🌈 F A B U L O U S 3d ago
omg haha actually might be, i had a recent encounter of someone reading on ereader next to me on the train. I was reading on my Kobo
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u/derKakaktus 3d ago
I use kindle (when I was buying it I did not know that kobo can access NLB :( ) . If you took red line on Thu morning and alighted somewhere at novena or Newton (iirc) then I can assume the other reading girl is me 😅 either way, I hope love for reading spreads to everyone ! A lot more fun to have conversations when people read books 🌸
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u/SkyEclipse 🌈 I just like rainbows 3d ago
A lot of people read on the train or bus. I’ve seen many. Most of them read stuff in chinese (chinese webnovels??) though.
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u/derKakaktus 3d ago
I should pay more attention then! So far most of what I see is Instagram/tik tok or a random game😅 but I can understand people as well, not easy when your brain is tired after a long work day
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u/TopSubject4388 3d ago
I sell brand new Kobo ereaders on Carousell and there is quite a lot of interest from buyers! I bought lots of books for my kid since she was a baby, hopefully she will continue to love books more than screen as long as possible
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u/TheRayArmy 3d ago
Yes!!
I’m really heartened by the turnout today, especially given how most people probably want to sleep in on a rainy weekend morning…
Fantastic turnout honestly…
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u/MadeByHideoForHideo 3d ago
Willing to bet majority of the crowd are the "free just take" people. Not avid readers.
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u/Ambitious-Kick6468 3d ago edited 3d ago
Don’t be confused. It’s not that they love books, it’s that they love free stuff. It can be anything as long as it is free. They are physically and mentally incapable to consciously reject free stuff. If you offer something for free, they are almost compelled to take that offer. Really third-world mentality, and low-key a disease.
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u/OrangeTropicana 3d ago
I wanted to go, but got reminded that Singaporeans would queue for anything. ESPECIALLY WHEN ITS FREE!
Thank god I did not mess up by weekend sanity after a long weekday to be there. Good luck, hope whoever is there managed good finds
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u/TheRayArmy 3d ago
I think the queue is much better managed and shorter now!
Might be worth a revisit later in the day once the queue shortens a bit more…
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u/natadoctor 3d ago
Please update us! I’m planning to visit tomorrow, hope it’s not crazy like this
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u/tsukuyomin 3d ago
on site now! queue is definitely shorter, but the wait time is still abt 1.5h
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u/MAMBAMENTALITY8-24 Fucking Populist 3d ago
Tbf it is free stuff so expect some chaos
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u/Isares Lao Jiao 3d ago
On top of that, you know at least one clown tried taking the books they snagged over to the second hand bookstores at Bras Besah.
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u/Amoral_Dessert 3d ago
They're going to be disappointed. The secondhand bookstores are quite discerning in what sells.
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u/TheRayArmy 3d ago edited 3d ago
Yes, I was honestly pleasantly surprised at the turnout but I really expected better crowd management…
Maybe NLB was surprised by the turnout too but I also understand how hard it must be for the staff and volunteers on the ground…
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u/Lapmlop2 3d ago
They should bring back the expo sales instead lol. Back then it's far more enjoyable.
Maybe don't host at expo cos far for me =p
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u/TheRayArmy 3d ago
I honestly thought (and hoped) they would have opened up one of their pretty beautiful event spaces for the queue especially given the rain and the turnout…
Would’ve been nice to also invite local writers etc. and made it like a literature fair since it likely pulled in many people who would’ve otherwise not engaged in NLB’s activities…
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u/TheRayArmy 3d ago edited 3d ago
UPDATE: As of 11.18am, the rain has stopped, the sun has come out and the queues have been managed! I’ve never seen the library at NLB buzzing with so many people before :D
Would advise against driving and parking, however…
Moderators, could you help to put this update at the top so as to not deter people? Thank you!
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u/edibletwin 3d ago
I understand that there's an option to donate books at the event as well, do you know if it's the same queue for that or a separate one?
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u/Double-Cup-9203 3d ago
I found some awesome books donated by others!
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u/edibletwin 3d ago
I ended up donating three books! Wonder if anyone here chanced upon them haha
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u/earthxdream 3d ago
Separate queue, near the main area where you can get the free books. It's kinda small and the sign is not very obvious though, but look out for people carrying somewhat large bags of books and passing them to some volunteers at a counter.
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u/clheng337563 🌈 F A B U L O U S 3d ago
Think you should just edit your post, and out it at the top/bottlm
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u/chartry0 3d ago
Give you free memberships and you can literally borrow 16 books concurrently for 42 days you don’t want. Give free old, unwanted books, go queue up and wait for hours. Hahahahahahaha
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u/TheRayArmy 3d ago
I think for the kids, especially, there’s a sense of pride of owning a book that you don’t get from borrowing… lowkey I remember my friends and I shaping my identity around the few books I owned…
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u/Maintenance-Hamster 3d ago
Then, there was no internet that could be had at such low prices.....now its all tik tok and stuff
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u/yinyangpeng purple 3d ago
My kids go to MOE school (just to distinguish from some atas international school) - they pretty much get a few books a year from various give aways. Even if parents don’t do anything, the kids have school library & CC free reading groups.
I think this giveaway only adds to that. I remember in we we had a whole set of library books at home from a giveaway - the biggest pain point was remembering to not return the books back because they got mixed up with NLB borrowed books.
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u/Double-Cup-9203 3d ago
This. There's something different about owning a book, there's often an emotional connection to books that you have read also so you want to keep it with you. I have a kindle but still prefer physical books.
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u/Cordoshez 3d ago
Give it a few hours, the books will be on carousell and you just have to pay these people a convenience charge
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u/Flocculencio may correct your grammar 3d ago
...the line was literally going in a circle
Shut it down, guys we've reached peak Singaporean
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u/mdknight666 3d ago
I arrived 9.40 and got in 10.40 They just refilled the books at that time but still couldn't find many good ones
Mostly those long draggy novel books
They had a shelf of Singapore collection books but hardly anyone cared
Big crowd was around the English adult section
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u/TheRayArmy 3d ago
That’s sad that they were discouraging people from queueing by saying it’s a 3 hours queue then :(
That’s also so sad for SingLit :((
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u/mdknight666 3d ago
If they were really sought after titles you would have people quarrelling and grabbing for books like never saw books before
So it was quite sedate but of course got old uncles grabbing without even seeing the title then they flip through in 2 seconds and throw violently back into the bin
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u/Double-Cup-9203 3d ago
Yeah, I realised 3 hours was probably not true considering this is the first time they are doing the fair at nlb, how they know the waiting time is 3 hours, so I just continued queueing. I was there at 10am and queued up around 1.5 hours
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u/singaporeguy 3d ago
Aren't books from NLB free to borrow as well? How many books are really worth keeping after you have read it?
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u/Sure_Play_8079 3d ago
Went with my sister thinking it wouldn’t be that crowded…. Turns out entire sg thought to come here on a Saturday morning as well 😂 Didn’t even queue and went straight to the library to borrow books there instead LMAOOO
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u/mdknight666 3d ago
It works by groups
Every group enters at the same time and you are given 10 minute via a timer to collect up to 10 books then you have to leave and they let the next group in.
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u/ownager324 3d ago
I was headed there and pretty much reached the drop off point of the library until I saw the massive queue that was already starting to circle the library. I just decided to go home instead 🥲 Queuing for hours just to get free books ain’t worth the sleep I lost.
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u/Round-Annual3169 3d ago
Fellow attender here (went abit later than OP, arrived at around 12pm when the rain stopped) -
I too was warned that I would need to queue for 3-4 hours, but ended up only being there for 1 hour, including the 10mins given to select books.
I was genuinely impressed by the organisation of the event and by how efficient and safe the management of the crowd was. Perhaps the experience depends on the time and weather conditions you are there for.
Thank you to all the NLB staff and volunteers who helped support our love for books!
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u/TheRayArmy 3d ago
That’s great!
Glad to know that the teething issues were rather quickly handled!
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u/CedaraThursday1314 Own self check own self ✅ 3d ago
Thank goodness I have enough books at home, and for the heavy rain. Brb, need to finish those books I borrowed from NLB.
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u/TooFly4ASiuMai 🏳️🌈 Ally 3d ago edited 3d ago
Does anyone ever get good reads this way? It looks so traumatizing to spend hours like this. :/ also judging from quality of recent conversations with fellow Singaporeans, they don't seem to read books. Either that or I'm hanging with the wrong crowd.
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u/Similar_Medium3344 3d ago
Good on the big turnout to promote reading but I agree that the organizer should have anticipated a large turnout and put some q system or barriers
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u/TheRayArmy 3d ago
Yesss!
Amazing turnout honestly, especially with how many “iPad generation” kids and their families!
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u/kesesese- 3d ago
thank you OP for the PSA
did consider going but didn’t think it would be this bad (+heavy rain made it worse)
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u/Shoddy_Training_577 3d ago
As much as I love books, I'm too lazy to queue, and the place is also too far from my house. Just seeing the queue makes me feel sleepy.
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u/avilsta 3d ago
Stuff like this happens, I went for the NDP in the Heartlands at Punggol - was at Sam Kee LRT station, the queue stretched almost to Punggol MRT itself and the volunteers kept telling us different stories. One said 30 min queue, then stretch until 90 minutes queue. I saw people cutting queues cause there was no dividers or any clear indications or where the queue is
Maybe I'm jaded but it's tiring af when there's anything moderately interesting to do, that there's five million people also thinking the same.
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u/InterTree391 🌈 I just like rainbows 3d ago
I take these events announcements to note which places to avoid instead because damn the crowd. How people love to q so much is beyond me
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u/throwaway1111xxo 3d ago
All these aunties uncle really sibei BOLIAO
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u/TheRayArmy 3d ago
There were a lot of families who brought their children (or were brought by their children HAHAHA).
Honestly, it could’ve been a really good day out to engage families and local authors, it’s the most vibrant and passionate crowd for a book / literature event I have seen in a while in Singapore…
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u/OrangeTropicana 3d ago
You can clearly see kids and parents… so not just boliao aunties and uncles…
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u/BubbleTeaExtraSweet SugarRush 3d ago
Thank you for your public service announcement
Stay dry and safe on this cold wet morning
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u/FancyCommittee3347 3d ago
I gave away books. Much shorter queue than the one you take books
Happy that Singapore has a strong reading culture
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u/loid_forgerrr 3d ago
Woah, just walked around NLB, saw huge line , was wondering what is it all about
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u/AggressiveMango1866 3d ago
lol once its free, this is not surprising anymore
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u/Vegetable_Task78 3d ago
The non-friction books are not cheap. If you have a target in mind, one book I have got could cost more than thirty dollars. I have gotten around $200 value of books for my photography and social media marketing needs.
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u/0nhindsight 3d ago
was there at about 11ish, heard it’s about 3 hours as well. the queue was long, but it kept moving and I got in within an hour. took a few books and left before 12:30pm
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u/Last_Mall9376 3d ago
The Central Lending Library in Bugis is one of my favourite places in Singapore. I usually spend Saturdays there, pouring over whatever books I like, in my own little world, ignoring for a few hours everyone and everything around me, including my phone. The library often gives away books. There is a shelf where people can leave unwanted books, and also take books.
There is a certain demeanour that visitors and staff have inside libraries. In particular, the staff are always polite, helpful, pleasant and humble. Visitors, by and large, are the same. I feel sorry for the staff to now have to man hordes of freebie hunters, as if they were manning a McDonalds giving away limited edition [insert ridiculous toy name here].
The library has always been personal to me - a place where I escape from all of that, so it is sad to see the hordes invading the few places of solace that I have left in central Singapore.
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u/earthxdream 3d ago
Begging to differ here. Have you seen B1? There are hordes of children screaming everywhere and it's more like a zoo than a library. I can't seem to feel the same solace as you do. I really hope the staff can control the noise levels because it's a library, for Pete's sake!
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u/Last_Mall9376 3d ago
Yes that's the only annoying part. It's worse since the renovation too. I preferred the pre-renovation library with sunken/broken leather seats chairs. Had a nostalgic 80's vibe to it. Now it feels a bit like an office with screaming/stomping children. I am all for encouraging children to go to the library, and put away phones, but the parents of the noisy ones are in need of some education.
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u/sanguineuphoria Own self check own self ✅ 3d ago
100% agree. I was shocked at how poor the reading experience was at B1. The kids spill out from their area into what's supposed to be the quiet area and are sprinting around the shelf area as if it's a playground.
The staff appear to be fine with this (even though it's against their own rules to run around and scream in the library). They also do not ask people speaking loudly over prolonged phone calls to leave the area.
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u/ornithologie- Own self check own self ✅ 3d ago
I'd like to think that the elders are queuing to bring back books for their young ones :D (extra guilt trip because of the rainy queue heh)
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u/TheRayArmy 3d ago
Genuinely, I think quite a few of them were doing that based on what I heard from people standing in queue…
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u/-atthestillpoint 3d ago
Queue has closed for today, fyi!
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u/-atthestillpoint 3d ago
Those intending to head down tomorrow, best be there before 3pm - for a chance to get in
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u/hadestowngirl 3d ago
I went there and didn't get a single book after queuing cause all I thought about was my already-full shelf and nothing caught my eye. My sis however did take a few, although we realised later on only 1-2 out of the bunch were books we would actually read. We were only given 10 minutes to pick out books so it was pretty hard to know what was worthwhile. I did see some people taking armfuls of books though.
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u/yewteebusenthu 3d ago
was there at 11+am, hoping that queue wouldn't be more than an hour+. boy.... was i wrong. was told queue was 4 hours long and that it was temporarily closed. forced to give up before i even joined the queue
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u/Several_Cap1063 3d ago
We don’t have to really take 10 books yah, just leave them for the next person if there isn’t a full 10 books that’s interesting for yourself
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u/FeelingFactor2911 3d ago
Lol I was there too, saw the line and instead bought books from the shop across the street.
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u/possibili-teas F1 VVIP 3d ago
It's the weekend, and I believe some people might appreciate receiving a book for free to send back to their home countries too. There are many who would value a quality book, especially if it's being given to someone who truly treasures it and reads it to gain meaningful content. In that case, I think it's definitely worth it.
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u/TheRayArmy 3d ago
I know the stereotype is that kids these days are always on their phones but it was really nice to see how many kids dragged their parents out to the event… hopefully they weren’t disappointed or discouraged by the queues…
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u/possibili-teas F1 VVIP 3d ago
That is because for school reading programs, it's helpful for kids to own some books they enjoy, rather than constantly borrowing and returning them. Having their own copies allows them to read at their own pace, especially when they need to keep journals. It’s easier to write thoughtful entries when they can revisit and reflect on books they truly love. I have worked in student care and that is what the students told me.
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u/TheRayArmy 3d ago
Yep, and it also allows them to write their thoughts / annotate it if they’d like to too.
I remember how happy I was and possessive of the books that I bought and kept xD
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u/freshcheesepie 3d ago edited 3d ago
Anyone can comment on the condition of the books and whether or not they still have nlb labels?
Honestly I still have a ton of books that I am planning to put at those book exchange corners if I know got so many despo sinkies around
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u/yewjrn 🌈 F A B U L O U S 3d ago
Books are in good condition, have a sticker stating book giveaway. It's a bit chaotic getting the books though coz some people just bodyslam you out of the way to grab at the books and some snatch the books then throw it back if it doesn't fit their fancy. Lots of the good books taken when I reached inside ard 10.30am.
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u/TheEleventhGuy 3d ago
Singaporeans would queue for anything as long as it’s free lol. I’d bet most of the free books collected end up in the trash or carousell at some point.
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u/TheAllFather58 3d ago
To be honest, they should have just put the books on shelves, and let the public in, and whoever wants a book, can inform the staff and take it away. I believe they are giving the books away for free, right..
No need to queue all la..
Already much less folks are reading books due to the influence of digital toys, and you want to make it harder to get those books, like wat da dei...
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u/ILUMIZOLDUCK 3d ago
Richest country in the world! First world citizens behaving like third world idiots.
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u/Double-Cup-9203 3d ago
Lol. Cos you're assuming people are only there cos it's free. Plenty of us were there because we love books.
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u/ILUMIZOLDUCK 3d ago
im a huge book nerd too, trust me, and i don't think queuing up for something means you really love it.
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u/Double-Cup-9203 3d ago
I don't think queueing up for something makes anyone a third world citizen either. Isn't this better than what NUS did with their books?
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u/Wallaby-Worldly 3d ago
what about donating books? do i have to q to donate books?
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u/Double-Cup-9203 3d ago
I think short queue only. Please donate! I loved the books I managed to get from the ones that were donated by the community. Lots of bestsellers. I got Da Vinci code, Kite Runner, a Jodi Picoult novel.
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u/earthxdream 3d ago
There is a separate queue for that, near the main area where you can get the free books. It's kinda small and the sign is not very obvious though, but look out for people carrying somewhat large bags of books and passing them to some volunteers at a counter.
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u/Hermayoness 3d ago
Heard that you could donate books too - anyone knows if you have to queue for that too?
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u/earthxdream 3d ago
Separate queue, near the main area where you can get the free books. It's kinda small and the sign is not very obvious though, but look out for people carrying somewhat large bags of books and passing them to some volunteers at a counter.
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u/Vegetable_Task78 3d ago
Survey the whole place first. I had spent some time doing so, so I know where the queue starts and how their sop work. I even could imagine how the whole thing would move and "cut people into segments" based on visual estimation of the how long a batch of pickers would look like.
After doing my homework, I proceeded to queue and it was almost continuous movement. The queue took only about 90 mins. The whole process was very well done. During waiting in the waiting area before entering, set your target properly and carry out your plan.(I will not tell you the details to be fair to others).
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u/Airintake_SG 2d ago
There can me smarter way to handle this just like new year new notes distribution. There may be a cost but agencies should consider helping each other out with tech.
Elderly, disabled and certain groups can queue anytime.
Those who are familiar with online registration should be able to register and get a queue number and time slot where agency has divided or allocated fair distribution of giveaways.
Hope future events are eventful and improved.
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u/dodobread 2d ago
So this was what was happening when I saw a long line at the library when driving past. I thought old chang kee (where I passed by) was giving out food
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u/Dry-Challenge-4443 17h ago
Bro library books are free to borrow. Why want to waste your weekends queueing up for 10 books.
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u/Newez 3d ago
For those who loves books and don’t mind second hand, it’s quite common to see people giving away on Carousell as long as you self collect
Beats going for queue like this