SINGAPORE – Come every exam season, the problem of seat-hogging resurfaces at university libraries, along with complaints about the problem.

A video posted about a week ago by TikTok user bblau claimed that many items left on desks at a library at the National University of Singapore (NUS) to reserve seats had been there for a week.

The video showed desks that were vacant but filled with items such as laptops, bags, food, bottles, and even monitors.

In a post on Reddit last Wednesday, user StandingLemur claimed most of the seats in a library at NUS were taken by 8.30am when he tried to find a seat. The user also posted a photo of filled desks and jacket-draped chairs, with no one attending to the items.

In response to such concerns, NUS university librarian Natalie Pang said the university has started enforcing hourly checks between 8.30am and 6pm at the school’s libraries to deter seat-hogging.

“Bookmarks are first placed on unattended items to alert the owners, and library staff will remove these items if they continue to be left unattended during the next round of checks,” said Dr Pang.

“During the extended operating hours, all unattended belongings left overnight in the libraries will be removed at 8:30am the next morning.”

The university’s libraries operate 24 hours a day during exam season, which falls between April 3 and May 5 this year.

Dr Pang said NUS has existing policies that ban seat reservations, and give library staff the right to remove unattended belongings. She added that feedback to the measure has been “very positive”.

“Our study facilities are shared spaces for the NUS community, and we strongly encourage everyone to exercise consideration and courtesy as part of library etiquette so that there can be fair and equitable access for all,” she said.