In a world dominated by homogenised brands, uninspiring malls with rinse-and-repeat formulas and franchised labels, the grassroots Casual Poet Library feels like a breath of fresh air. Founded in 2024 by Rebecca Toh, a Singaporean photographer, the library was inspired by a chance encounter with a similar space in the fishing village of Yaizu, Japan. What started as “an impractical idea in a pragmatic society”—a shared library curated by individuals renting shelves—has since charmed readers in Singapore with its novel approach.

Tucked into a quiet corner of Bukit Merah, the library feels like it’s been here forever. The quaint space is modest, with walls of irregular wooden nooks crammed with a lovingly curated collection of books, plants, pottery, handwritten notes and other trinkets. Each shelf tells a story. A short visit can unfurl through the afternoon, spent either lost in a book or drawn into nourishing conversation with like-minded souls, discussing everything from literature to life itself. Being here reminds me of something I’d forgotten: the pleasure of slowly wandering through a library. The kind of slow browsing that I’ve barely made time for in adult life even though it’d been the highlight of my childhood.

I meet Rebecca shortly after her year-end retreat at Plum Village in Thailand, the spiritual haven founded by Buddhist monk Thích Nhất Hạnh. While there, she’d immersed herself in ancient practices like walking meditation and working meditation—methods that have been distilled and adapted to address the challenges of our time. Over tea on a thundery afternoon, we talk about everything: from books which have shaped her values and community building to the ways in which this library, with its quiet existence, softens the edges of our hard city.

• Tags: Issue 39, Rebecca Toh, Singapore, Toh Ee Ming