092370D (Group 4)
The convention hall was swarmed with people of various ages, browsing through books at the different trolleys all over the place. Even with the World Cyber Game event just a hall away, the patrons were clearly too immersed in their books to even pay their slightest attention to the gaming sound effects and cheers that penetrated through the walls.This was the National Library Board (NLB) Library Book Sale 2010.
Held at the Singapore Expo on the 10th and 11th of July, people were encouraged to browse through stacks of old books from 9:30am to 8pm. With a myriad selection of over 370,000 titles, the book enthusiasts perceived the giant convention doors as gateways to heaven. As the day went on, the convention floor seemed to be moving in a fluid motion as masses of people entered and exited the hall simultaneously.
Other than the payment, storage and the large areas available for casual reading, the convention hall was separated into four sections according to the four main languages: English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil. Be it fiction or non-fiction books, they are all sold at S$1 or S$2. Stacks of old magazines worth S$5 per stack are also for sale. Among the books in the English section, they are categorized by their genre and it has quite a variety to satisfy English-speaking patrons from all walks of life.
“The purpose of the book sale is to give back to the community by offering them books at affordable prices and also to make space for the new books that are coming in every year.” Mr Phua Ree Kee, head of NLB’s Corporate Communications Associate, pointed out.
After collecting a shopping basket, people made their way down the aisles and some ran their fingers along the spines of old library books coupled with appraising glances. Those who were more enthusiastic hurried to dig through the existing piles for lost literary treasures.
The event seemed like an opportunity not to be missed for families, as parents can purchase books at affordable prices for their children. There are children who have developed an interest in books but can never get their books because of the hefty price tags that come along with it. With this book sale, parents will not have qualms over the price issues.
“My husband and I have picked around 30 books. There are some books that we want to read but mainly we picked the fiction books for our daughter,” Mrs Jacqueline Tan, a fellow patron, said.
Because of the “60 books per customer” policy, there were quite a few people who sat down and looked through the huge stack of books that they had rummaged from the trolleys. And of that group, they brought their own trolleys to ease their burden of carrying plastic bags of books back home.
As for the unsold books at the end of the event, most of them will be donated to charities while the others, which weathered through the years at the libraries, will be recycled through the process of pulping.(508 words)