Creating a sustainable community space with a personal bookshelf sharing model.
Members pay 45 Singapore dollars each month to rent and manage their personal bookshelves. The library consists of a total of 180 bookshelves, and each bookshelf is rented and directly managed by other members.
Members pay 45 Singapore dollars a month to become shelf owners and share their books, while about 40 volunteers take turns assisting with library operations 12 hours a day, 6 days a week.
The idea for the community library was inspired by a visit to a community-based library during a trip to Japan. Afterwards, the founder posted a simple message on Instagram to gauge interest in creating a similar space in Singapore.
On the first day of the post, she received over 300 private messages, feeling the strong enthusiasm of the people. This unexpectedly warm response gave her the confidence that a seemingly impossible dream could be made a reality.
With people's voluntary participation and help, the library was successfully established in just three months.
From an economic perspective, the community library allowed 180 members to share the rent, eliminating the need for one person to bear all the costs. This becomes a key driver for sustainable operation.
Beyond being a simple reading space, it has become a special place for forming bonds, utilized for various activities such as community meetings, meals, and late-night openings.
This co-investment model ensures the sustainability of space operation and provides a foundation to support stable community activities.
In addition to activities like regular book clubs and women's discussions, this library is utilized as a venue for various forms of communication. It is also used as a space for meals or hotpot parties for up to 40 people, and operates a late-night library every other week to enhance user convenience.
As such, the library functions as a complex cultural space where people meet, interact, and foster a sense of community, going beyond being just a place to read books.
Library users demonstrate a community spirit by voluntarily bringing and freely sharing food, drinks, ideas, and necessary resources. Despite having no late fees, a culture of returning books on time has naturally taken root.
Children also autonomously observe book management etiquette and educate other children, and with the dedicated management of volunteer librarians, the library is always filled with warmth.
This library gives the feeling that Singaporean society is becoming warmer and more open. It makes individuals feel the energy of community in an isolated and fragmented world, empowering them greatly.
One small shared library delivers a message of hope that is light and renewing, rather than heavy and destructive, to people.
Answers come from the transcript, with the exact spot cited.
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