Some people take up reserved seats on MRT trains to nap. So what next? Library seats, it seems.
After all, public libraries provide plush sofa seats, air-conditioning and quiet surroundings.
Recently, a photo of two girls dozing on sofa seats at the National Library in Victoria Street was posted on The Straits Times' citizen journalism website Stomp.
The Stomper, who goes by the moniker Alan, said the pair were 'sleeping soundly' though there were 'so many other library users', adding that he was surprised the library's staff did not intervene.
Some library users and netizens, in their comments, called such behaviour "inconsiderate" and "selfish".
Said Ms Vinda Tirrana, 37, who is currently unemployed: "If the library is crowded, people who need the seats to read their books can't get them if there are people sleeping. I've even seen those who snore so loudly that it disturbs others."
She visits the National Library almost every day, and has seen students, adults and retirees sleeping on the seats.
Student Huang Jing Quan, 18, who studies regularly at the Marine Parade Community Library, said he gets sleepy while studying.
"But I will doze off for only 10 minutes at most, so I'll have the energy to continue. I don't see it as hogging the seats because it's within my rights to take a break," he insisted.
When The Sunday Times visited the National Library and three other public libraries on a weekday afternoon, an average of two people were seen fast asleep, with no reading materials near them.
At the Central Lending Library, in the basement of the National Library building, there were four such users.
Ms Jasna Dhansukhlal, a manager at the Central Lending Library, said such behaviour is "not very common".
"If we receive any feedback from users, our staff will take action immediately. They have been trained to politely approach people who may have fallen asleep to wake them up," she said.
In 2005, the National Library Board (NLB) launched its I Love My Library campaign to sound the wake-up call on good etiquette.
The drive promote 10 key actions, one of which was: No sleeping in the library.
Its public education efforts include handing out free bookmarks to library users and displaying posters at various library branches, said Ms Dhansukhlal.
"Since the campaign's launch, we have seen improvements and increased awareness among our users in following good library etiquette," said a spokesman for the NLB, which runs 22 libraries islandwide.
At all its libraries, staff also go on hourly patrols to remind users to treat the facilities with care.
(Taken from The Sunday Times, May 15 2011, Home Page 17)
Shit !
dun use umbrella to poke them to make them wake up and give up the seat to u
bery rude one k