When Rebecca Toh posted on social media in May 2024 to gauge interest in a community-run library in Singapore, she was surprised by the overwhelming response. It quickly became clear that the idea resonated not just because of a love for books, but because it tapped into a deeper yearning among Singaporeans for connection.
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Less than three months later, Casual Poet Library opened at the void deck of a neighbourhood estate in Bukit Merah, fully funded by the community and run by volunteers.
The cosy 450 sq ft space is lined with bookshelves, where people rent shelf space to share their personal collections. Many include handwritten notes or self-introductions, inviting visitors to connect and strike up conversations.
“It’s a kind of community centre slash living room,” Toh said. “You find something or someone that you connect with here.”
In Singapore, a growing number of millennials and Gen Zs are actively seeking out and creating their own communities to meet new people. Across the island, such “third places” – locations for informal socialising beyond work and home – are on the rise.
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