Let ground-up initiatives be. Don’t hold them to formal yardsticks
A void deck community library teaches us why such efforts should be judged on their own terms.
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Ground-up initiatives like this community library in Yishun emerge from the lived experiences of residents, says the writer.
PHOTO: THE MAJURITY TRUST
Robyn Tan
Azhar and his wife Yasmin wanted their children and others in the neighbourhood to read more. They also felt family members should spend time together, rather than alone with a screen. So in March 2025, the couple and fellow volunteers turned the void deck of their block in Yishun into a community library, furnished with books and furniture donated by neighbours. There was no five-year road map, just a shared observation that something was missing, and a willingness to do something about it.
“We wanted to develop a space where children can read, play and interact together,” Azhar told Berita Harian in February 2026. His wife added that the library has become a place for parents to share experiences, form friendships, and rebuild a sense of neighbourliness many felt has quietly eroded.