These books, which have passed through many hands, connect hundreds of students and alumni across the years. With the closure of Yale-NUS, the remnants of its library have become a potent symbol of the soon-to-be-defunct institution.
Ultimately, the university’s oversight – not just an “operational lapse” – was not recognising the symbolic significance of the library, and its meaning to the Yale-NUS community.
I turned up to the Yale-NUS library on Wednesday (May 28), the first day of the book giveaway that has been organised after the furore, as a guest of alumni – one of them, my brother.
The place was quickly packed, with book lovers stalking the shelves, trying to moderate the size of their haul. A snaking queue formed to enter the library.
Despite the events of the past 10 days, there was an air of carnival about the place. “This is the best reunion,” my friend remarked. At the end of the day, only about 2,000 books are left for adoption according to the NUS Libraries Telegram channel.
It would have been perfect if the book giveaway had been held alongside the Yale-NUS closing reunion, which took place two weeks ago. Yet this also seems a fitting, bittersweet end for this institution, where spirited student action has led to a much better outcome.
Daryl Lim Wei Jie is a poet, translator and editor from Singapore. He is currently working on Free to Play, an anthology on video games.
