Library

• Introduction
• Visit
• Hours
• Caretake
• Catalogue
• Wishlist

Introduction

Covering: Background, Collection, Vibes, and Involvement

Background

Over the course of two years, a loose assembly of volunteers and friends kept our library open, typically for 3 to 8 hours a day, between 2 to 6 days a week depending on who had the time. As the Covid pandemic unfolded along with increasingly strict state restrictions, focus shifted and we took a break from this, which ended up being much longer than expected and much harder to return from. Through this period of overlapping stresses, the space continued to be quietly maintained and slowly reorganised and finally reopened in January 2022, switching to an appointment format to meet safety and capacity concerns. This didn't last though, as we were soon forced to move out, launching a hectic search for a new home. Between hosting, packing, searching for a space, moving, finding new ways to fund our work, and settling in, it took some months before we were ready again to welcome visitors. Our new space functions much in the same way as the old, but being contained in a single room means having to be more thoughtful about how uses are shared.

Collection

In addition to a modest but constantly growing selection of radical anti-capitalist and anti-authoritarian literature, our range of primarily English-language publications includes numerous titles generously gifted by friends, spanning many different focuses, covering topics around: emancipatory thought and struggle; queer, anti-colonial, decolonial, disability, media studies; gender, (trans)feminisms, and care work; abolition, accountable community, and transformative justice; critical art, aesthetics, design, and cultural criticism; labour and organising; social histories, sociology, and anthropology; philosophy and critical theory; and much more that cannot be contained by simple labels.

They take varying forms: from zines, to artists' books, pamphlets, flyers, broadsheets, surveys, journals, memoirs, chapbooks, paperbacks, hardcovers, guides, periodicals, anthologies, photo books, monographs, reference binders, pocket collections, comics, catalogues, and on and on – plus a small section of fiction and poetry which we're keen to refresh.

A catalogue can be found here (google sheets), though this is partial as most informal printed matter isn't included – and we're working on integrating a substantial addition on a separate database. Many zines and texts have digital versions that we can supply for printing, and we encourage copying too, which we would be happy to help with.

Currently, materials are not being lent out, but we're looking into a library membership system tied to Patreon contributions or time-sharing, and ways to better share contents, including making them available online.

Vibes

As a reading room, our library is usually kept quiet and cosy (save for ambient music and the sounds of life and labour in an industrial area), making it conducive for rest as well. Visitors can bring their own drinks, or grab one from the fridge. Think of this as a place for dwelling, for lingering, where sticking around isn't predicated on a "minimum spend", and where one shouldn't feel obliged to “engage” with the material or other people – at least not initially or all the time, and definitely not if you don't want to. After all, we would like this space to open possibilities for encounter, as a way against the isolation, alienation, and violence imposed by capital and nation-state.

We'd like to encourage a sensitivity between folks sharing space, making quiet for those who want to read, rest, or focus, and communicating with empathy when it comes to co-using furniture and tools or resolving conflicts that arise. Though the library is small and can get cramped, there are multiple spots on our floor that you may bring a chair to to read or hang out.

Involvement

We’re always searching for ways to further utilise our space and resources in building collective capacities, this includes creating access, holding and spreading information, facilitating bookings for intentional gatherings, and hosting communal activity like reading groups, workshops, and private meetings. If you’ve got a project that we can host or help with, have ideas to share, want to recommend or donate zines and books (we're always on the lookout for more connections and titles from communities in Singapore, the archipelago, and wider surrounding region), or even collaborate in publishing, get in touch and let us know!

Visit

Covering: Locale, Accessibility, Pandemic Measures, and Additional Notes

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 below and/or on instagram story highlights, usually by Sunday. To arrange a day to visit, pick from the available options and make an appointment through this google form.

You may also use the same form to book the space for an intentional gathering, 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.

Come through and stay a while to get a feel for the space and its materials, who knows what new ideas, desires, affinities, and routines might spark?

Locale

The infoshop's address is not published online. It will only be provided when your visit has been confirmed, along with detailed directions. We can offer further guidance on transport options if you need any.

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 may 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). 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.

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.

Being housed in an office floor, our space is quiet for the most part, especially outside of 9–5 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.

Pandemic Measures

We recognise that the pandemic isn't over, and that the state has merely chosen to prioritise capital in its management calculus, leading to a situation befitting crisis normal where illness can be left uncared for. We will continue to observe these simple practices to help protect each other:

• If you have any doubt about your Covid status or are feeling unwell, please rest instead and get tested if symptoms persist. Your visit can always be rescheduled.
• Use the building's facilities for hand-washing before handling library materials, we will also have sanitiser on hand.
• Caretakers will be masked, and we strongly encourage that visitors do so as well. If anyone would like others to be masked, we will honour the request and ask all visitors for the day to keep masks on.
• Only a maximum of 12 people, including caretakers, should be in the library room at once.

Inform us of any preferences or concerns you may have, and we will try our best to accommodate them.

Additional notes

Photography of the space and publications is fine and in fact encouraged (tag us, authors, and publishers if you post on social media!), just avoid identifying the location with landmarks and geotags. Do not include other people in your pictures, especially those whom you do not know – or ask for explicit consent first.

Capacity for activities is 12, but we will keep it to around 6 during regular library visits to let everyone have some space.

Even so, things can get busy at times as people visit in groups. We encourage folks to communicate needs (and get to know one another if you feel like it) but know this can be uncomfortable. Consider bringing earphones if that can help you focus. We may also explore having specific silent hours/days if there's interest for it.

Food and drinks are alright in the library, just be careful with crumbs, and moisture and oils transferring from your hands.

Smoking will have to happen elsewhere as the space is air-conditioned, we can show you a safe spot.

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!

Hours

Options for visiting are based on weekly caretaker availability. These are not actual opening hours, so don't just turn up, we do not receive first-time drop-in visits! Instead, pick from the available options and make an appointment using this google form. You could also propose an unlisted date or time and we'll see if one of us can make it, just give us enough of a lead to respond.

If you need to plan ahead, there’s no problem making an appointment beyond this week, but just note things can change. As we intentionally put in time and work to open the space for visits, please let us know in advance if you can’t turn up!