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Straits Times
23-05-2025
- General
- Straits Times
What the outcry over discarded Yale-NUS books reveals – and why it matters
Some 500 books were recycled but the backlash arrived just in time to save another 8,500 books from being discarded. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO What the outcry over discarded Yale-NUS books reveals – and why it matters The backlash wasn't just a sentimental response. It was about valuing print and the stewardship of resources. SINGAPORE - If not for the groundswell of response from alumni, 9,000 Yale-NUS library books would have been quietly pulped and never seen again. On May 20, these books were packed into white plastic bags and loaded onto a recycling truck bound for a facility in Jurong, just a week after the college's final graduation ceremony. This act quickly ignited a wave of criticism, petitions, and calls for transparency. Some 500 books were recycled, but the backlash arrived just in time to save another 8,500 books from being discarded. Beyond the rescue effort, this incident also brought out something deeper – that many Singaporeans still care about the printed word, and with it, the way knowledge is valued and resources cared for. Even in this age of screens and endless scrolling, print books matter. The turning and rustling of dog-eared pages, the weight of a book in hand – these are common experiences across all ages, from a child learning to read his first storybook to an adult finding solace and community in book clubs. Earlier in May, eight local independent booksellers came together to start a one-stop online bookstore, offering more than 40,000 titles. Amid bookshop closures and a decline in reading habits, home-grown efforts like these are laudable. Hence the callous treatment of books by a university library is all the more jarring, as is what the act of tossing them out represents: the squandering of resources, instead of seeking to find new homes and owners for the books. The thought of books being left on the sidewalk to be thrown away, and possibly shredded to pieces during the recycling process, struck a nerve in me. Yale-NUS alumni said these books had once been part of their lives – titles they read for leisure, borrowed for their theses, or saw frequently on the shelves. Fiction, non-fiction and academic texts alike were taken away without warning, to the graduates' dismay. Those who tried to salvage some books at the scene were not allowed to do so, ostensibly on account of security reasons that have since been dismissed. For Yale-NUS alumni, fresh from farewell gatherings and in the midst of saying their final goodbyes to the college, it was especially heartbreaking, as the books that had once lined the library shelves had become vessels of memory for them. The college, which is slated to close in 2025, had been preparing for 500 books that could not be recovered were a fraction of the total number of 45,000 books in the Yale-NUS library collection, the university said. It has clarified that 36,000 of these books found new homes across their other libraries on campus. And the remaining 8,500 excess books will be given away at two upcoming book fairs in May and June. But the initial intention to let those books go is still regrettable. 'These books could have benefited those who cannot afford to buy them, members of the public who value shared resources and curious minds who would have deeply appreciated them,' one Yale-NUS alumnus said. 'Why weren't the books offered to students first? Couldn't they have been donated to second-hand bookshops?' These were some of the questions that emerged online, as many wondered how such a large-scale disposal had gone ahead without an effort to seek creative alternatives. NUS later apologised, citing an 'operational lapse' in not reaching out more extensively to faculty or accommodating student requests for the books. The university said it was unaware of students' interest in the titles – a claim that many find puzzling. The disposal may not have stemmed from malice, but it showed some gaps in its stewardship of resources and lack of consultation with its own faculty and students, who were taken by surprise by the incident. And especially for an institution charged with preserving knowledge, that kind of disregard matters. What happens next matters too In the wake of the backlash, NUS apologised, halted its original plan to dispose of the books, and said that it would introduce new measures to prevent a repeat of this episode. Under updated processes, it will reach out to more faculty and other academic libraries, as well as hold book adoption fairs for students, alumni, and the public. These steps aim to prolong the shelf life of precious books, rather than them being discarded prematurely, said the university librarian, Associate Professor Natalie Pang. The National Library Board, in response to queries from The Straits Times, said that it regularly reviews its collections to keep them relevant and in good condition for readers. Only books that have suffered significant damage or are missing pages are typically removed and sent for recycling, it said. Books that are older or replaced by newer editions, but still in reasonable condition, are redistributed to patrons and community partners. For instance, NLB organises an annual Big Book Giveaway to share preloved books. Its 10th edition will be held later in 2025, and about 60,000 books are expected to be given away then. NLB also donates thousands of books to local community reading partners and international institutions. Recycling, after all, is not inherently wrong. It is an important part of any sustainable practice, especially when one needs to make space for the new. But it should be the last resort, and not a quick way to clear shelves during a transitional period. Granted, finding new homes for books – especially those that may seem redundant or unwanted – will require more effort and is not the most convenient. But sustainability is about giving objects a second life and trying to ensure they are reused meaningfully and passed onto those who will value them. And as the saying goes, one man's trash is another man's treasure. Let's be clear on one point. Had NUS been completely transparent and earnest in its efforts to find a new home for the books – reaching out widely to students, faculty, alumni, and the public – and still found no takers, recycling would have been a reasonable, even responsible, final step. The issue wasn't the act of recycling itself, but the absence of visible effort before resorting to it. It should not have taken the loss of 500 books to prompt reflection and a review of administrative processes, but the reaction that followed was heartening. The concern, from alumni and the wider public, book lovers and beyond, shows care not just about books, but about the enduring value of print, about avoiding waste, and the dignity of reuse. And woven into that response was a quiet but clear insistence: We can do better . Gabrielle Chan is a journalist at The Straits Times, and covers everything related to education in Singapore. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Straits Times
17-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
TBR (To Be Read): Booksellers have proven enterprising, policymakers must support them
Indie booksellers have become more enterprising in a testing time for the books industry. Can a bold approach in policy give them a boost? ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY SINGAPORE – Finally, after a tempestuous few years for bookstores, a spot of good weather for the industry. a new online bookshop launched by eight indie booksellers on May 14, is the first of its kind and a cause for mild optimism. Today, Singapore's book industry is besieged from every angle – rising rent, declining literacy, the tyranny of screens, disruption from artificial intelligence, undercutting by global conglomerates and plain old 'nobody reads anymore'. It is also the most enterprising age for the industry. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
AsiaOne
14-05-2025
- Business
- AsiaOne
'A new chapter begins': 8 local indie bookshops unite to launch one-stop online platform, Lifestyle News
Indie bookstores in Singapore — from Epigram Coffee Bookshop to The Moon — have faced their fair share of challenges in recent years, leaving local book lovers with fewer places to discover new reads. But things might be looking up with the launch of a new one-stop online platform that unites eight independent local bookshops. The eight participating bookshops are Basheer Graphic Books, City Book Room, Epigram Bookshop, Nurul Anwar Bookstore, Sea Breeze Books, Thryft, Union Book and Wardah Books. Launched on Wednesday (May 14), the site consolidates the inventories of these bookshops, providing a uniquely curated and accessible catalogue of more than 40,000 titles to choose from. This ranges from historical fiction and poetry to non-fiction subgenres such as religion and philosophy, among others. On May 2, introduced itself to the public with its first Instagram post. The in-photo caption read: "A new chapter begins on May 14." The idea for took root during a gathering of local independent booksellers in 2024, and a shared vision of collaboration then followed. describes itself as "an act of radical cooperation" with the belief that bookshops can thrive and "be stronger" when working together. How it works features a user-friendly interface with straightforward filters and drop-down menus. Shoppers can decide to browse by genres or bookshops and once a book is selected, they can add it directly to their cart. If the title is stocked by multiple bookshops, they have the option to choose which bookshop they want to support. Orders above $150 qualify for free delivery, regardless of how many bookshops are involved. Otherwise, a flat rate of $5.90 applies per order. At the time of writing, does not offer international shopping. AsiaOne has reached out to for more information. [[nid:717071]] amierul@
Straits Times
13-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Eight Singapore indie booksellers launch Bookshop.sg as Amazon alternative
a new one-stop online bookstore, features more than 40,000 titles from local indie bookstores Epigram Books, Basheer Graphic Books, Wardah Books, Thryft, Sea Breeze Books, City Book Room, Union Book and Nurul Anwar Bookstore. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY SINGAPORE – Singapore-based readers now have a convenient – and more socially conscious – way to buy books online, as eight local independent booksellers have banded together to launch a one-stop online bookstore featuring more than 40,000 titles. which opened for orders on May 14, is a booksellers' initiative which brings together fiction, non-fiction and children's titles across English, Mandarin and Malay. It is a joint effort by home-grown indie bookstores Epigram Books, Basheer Graphic Books, Wardah Books, Thryft, Sea Breeze Books, City Book Room, Union Book and Nurul Anwar Bookstore. The online store will provide free local shipping for purchases above $150 – or charge a $5.90 fee for smaller purchases – while allowing readers to mix and match titles from across the eight bookstores, Thryft's chief executive Eddie Lim tells The Straits Times. Mr Ibrahim Tahir, 51, founder of Wardah Books, adds: 'We are providing an alternative for people who are conscious about where their dollar is spent.' He first gathered indie booksellers at his store on 58 Bussorah Street in December 2024 to discuss avenues of cooperation. Bookstores are increasingly turning into 'showrooms' for customers who browse in-store, but opt to buy their books more cheaply from Amazon, says Mr Ibrahim, which harms the local literary ecosystem. He cites a 2014 French law which imposed a minimum book delivery fee to protect indie booksellers against huge online retailers. There is no equivalent rule in Singapore. Bringing indie bookstores together is an act of 'radical cooperation', he says, and offers an ethical choice to readers. 'The dollar that you spend in a local bookshop stays within the community. It drives things that we do such as book events, launches with local authors and book clubs. Amazon doesn't do that,' says Mr Ibrahim, who has run his bookstore in Kampong Gelam since 2002. Mr Ibrahim Tahir, founder of Wardah Books, says provides an alternative for people who are conscious about where their dollar is spent. PHOTO: ST FILE In recent months, bookstore closures have dominated headlines. Chains like Times Bookstores exited the market in September 2024 after nearly five decades of operations, and indie bookstores like Epigram Coffee Bookshop shuttered its only physical store at Singapore Art Museum in January 2025 due to low traffic. Epigram Books publisher Edmund Wee, who now sells books through an online bookstore, had convened a meeting with booksellers together with Mr Ibrahim during a testing time for the industry: 'The more outlets you have (to sell your books), the better it is for the bookseller. Every outlet extends your potential buyer, I don't see it as a competition.' Mother tongue-language booksellers hope that the multilingual online bookstore can help English-language readers better discover books in other languages. Mr Ang Jin Yong, 34, operations director of Sea Breeze Books, which sells Chinese-language books online, says: 'A common problem for our mother tongue publishers and booksellers is that our market is limited. But I still think that some of the English readers would want to read mother tongue books.' For Ms Tan Waln Ching, 42, director of City Book Room, this initiative lays the foundation for future collaborations between booksellers. 'I would like to learn from other booksellers as well because we are usually very busy taking care of our shops.' The eight booksellers that ST spoke to cite common challenges across the trade – predatory pricing by global conglomerates, the decline of literacy among young readers, the increase in children's screen time and dipping bookstore visitorship. Ms Tan Waln Ching, director of City Book Room, says lays the foundation for future collaborations between booksellers. PHOTO: ST FILE which is inspired by a similar initiative launched in the United States and United Kingdom in 2020, is the latest experiment by local booksellers to give a boost to the flagging trade. In July 2024, ST reported that experimental book concepts such as pay-to-rent community library Casual Poet Library were cropping up to deal with Singapore bookshops' biggest killer – rental costs. Mr Lim promises that – which is developed by Thryft – will provide an 'on par or better experience' than Amazon as users can currently browse books by genre and bookstore. The online store is looking to onboard more indie bookstores in the future and feature curated collections by booksellers as well. Mr Ibrahim hopes the online store will also drive new readers to physical stores. 'For the ecosystem to survive, it needs to recognise that the keystone is the bookshop. The bookshop is what ties together publishers, writers and readers all in one space – and space is important because this is where human beings interact.' He says will help 'reach the readers who want to look for books, but are not socialised into coming into a bookshop and go online to look for things'. He is cognisant, however, that it will not be able to address more structural problems: 'The question of the fall of readership is a much bigger question.' ( will host two booksellers panels at Thryft Hub, 120 Lower Delta Road, on May 31 as part of its launch. The free event, which requires registration, will see each bookstore showcase more than a dozen of its best titles. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
