[Also published as a series of slides on instagram]
Let's quickly run through some changes!
- At around 23m2 (240sqft), our new infoshop is about double the size of the old room in Geylang, though this is of course smaller than the entire space was.
- The space has air conditioning now!
- Capacity for activities is 12, but we will keep it to around 6 during regular visits to let everyone have some space.
- Being small and cosy, it can get busy at times, so bring earphones if that can help you focus. We may also explore having specific silent hours/days if there's interest for it.
- We've kept our fridge, and now have access to a shared dispenser with hot water.
- Food is welcome now, but just be considerate and careful with other folks (especially as we still encourage mask wearing) and the library’s materials.
Read on for more on:
How to visit or book the space, locale, accessibility, and community principles!
[The following text is mostly taken from: wares.noblogs.org/library]
Visiting and Booking
Visits to the library are by appointment only and are treated like an invitation between friends. Anyone acting in good faith is welcome, we just ask that you read, understand, and agree to our community principles.
We post weekly hours as options on here and instagram story highlights, usually by Saturday. To arrange a day to visit, pick from the available options and make an appointment through the linked google form.
You may also use the same form to suggest a gathering and book the space, such as when you require privacy and support for an activity, think you might disturb others, or want to make sure your group has enough room.
Locale
The infoshop's address is not published online. This information, along with detailed directions, will only be provided when your visit has been confirmed by email. We can offer further guidance on transport options if you need any.
As our guest, we ask for your help in keeping this so – please be discreet and careful to not openly identify our location or building, either in text, or with landmarks and geotags when you do take photos in and of the space.
In general, we are located just west of the city core, connected by short bus rides to Redhill, Tiong Bahru, Outram Park, Telok Blangah, and Harbourfront MRT stations, and not much further from many frequented cultural institutions and universities. The surrounding terrain is hilly, and bus stops are between 2 to 8 minutes away on foot, with street crossings and partially sheltered paved walkways. We are in a mixed commercial-industrial area close to greenery and old public residential estates with a scattering of affordable food options. Foot and bike access to park connectors and the rail corridor is also not far away.
Accessibility
Wheelchair accessibility to our space is limited and we are asking for help to further investigate, augment, and assist on this front.
As there are single steps on the ground floor street entrance, the building does not offer barrier-free access to public transportation, but access by private vehicle should be possible via a metal cargo ramp connected to the gated car park. The ground is level from the lift lobby to our door save for a couple of low bumps, though there are swinging doors along the way. Elevator buttons may be inaccessible, and there are no wheelchair accessible toilets on our floor (and as far as we know, the building).
Please let us know if you could advise us and work on autonomous ways to increase disability access here and generally in this city. We want to explore the possibility of building ramps for public transit access.
Within the infoshop library, we have made an effort to maximise traversable floorspace, and have some moveable furniture that we will be happy to rearrange for mobility needs. Given the limited size, our shelves are built tall and some material may be out of reach, but we will certainly assist with their retrieval.
Being housed in an office floor, our space is quiet for the most part, especially outside of 9 to 5 hours. Muffled sounds of labour, machinery, and traffic should be expected, but usually nothing is loud and jarring. If you have any sensory and sensitivity needs, let us know how we can meet them, we are more than willing to adjust the space to make it as comfortable as we can.
Community Principles
Security and caution are always on our minds, first to make it possible to continue carving out this space against a prevailing culture of fear and repression, and such that the means we use are consistent with the worlds we dream, all without letting paranoia take hold.
We aim to think and act in a different way – as a practice of care, with an analysis of power, unlearning norms of domination and abuse that have been foisted on us.
Thus we feel it is important to have basic principles working towards accountable community now (and also to continually revisit and renew our relationship to this) rather than assume nothing bad could happen.
At the minimum, we ask for your understanding of this context and agreement to the following principles before visiting or engaging with our work:
- We are committed to cultivating a safer, more accountable community with all invited to inhabit this shared environment.
- As we do so, let’s be aware of and sensitive to one another’s autonomy, presence, and needs.
- Harassment and harmful behaviour (abusive language or actions, intimidation, deception, unwanted contact, etc.) reproducing violences of this racist, cishetero-patriarchal, ableist, capitalist world are not welcome or tolerated.
- As a visitor, please let an organiser know if you face such trouble from anyone in the physical space.
- This also applies to the online spaces that we find ourselves in.
- None of us are perfect, and we do fail, but let’s grow capacity to do better with each other through the course of our activity.
More on: wares.noblogs.org/community-principles
What are you waiting for?
Come dwell for a while and explore the possibilities!
There are just a few more things to note, such as our pandemic measures – caretakers/organisers stay masked and we strongly encourage all visitors to do the same – plus etiquette involving photography, food and drinks, and smoking. All this can be found on the /library/visit section of our website.
These processes are not meant to deter you from visiting, but to maintain a safer environment for all, especially as this is a different sort of space intentionally deviating from cultures of consumption and domination. This means they are also not static, and you can help us shape how things evolve!
Again, the same appointment form is used to arrange a visit or book the space – we just need basic information and want to get a sense of what you're looking for, where you're coming from, or what you might need. The /gathering section on the website also covers technical aspects of the space.
So far, folks have visited alone or brought a friend or two, and typically stay for a couple of hours and longer. This new neighbourhood has also meant some are turning into regulars!
If you've got work to do, need a quiet place to rest, are organising a craft get-together with friends or strangers, want to read or chat about anarchy and communism, would like to screen a film or play some music, there’s space here.
Remember, we aren’t a business, charity, or service, but an attempt to build and learn together, so come through, let’s try to make something happen, and see you around soon!
Support our space and work through Patreon: patreon.com/wares