tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13303109.post112878386357794067..comments2023-12-23T22:32:53.531+08:00Comments on Taking Up The Challenge: Vanishing Scenes of Singapore - Part 2Victorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10339178864363140977noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13303109.post-2924888148644688102010-04-08T20:46:55.231+08:002010-04-08T20:46:55.231+08:00National Library at Stamford road was not the firs...National Library at Stamford road was not the first public library.<br />I used to borrow books from Raffles Library before the National Library was built.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10317698627235847591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13303109.post-4866174099941316562008-11-07T10:51:00.000+08:002008-11-07T10:51:00.000+08:00Foo C M - Thanks for your interesting input. I lik...Foo C M - Thanks for your interesting input. I like the way you compared the size of the canteen toilet to that of a Boeing 747. :)<BR/><BR/>I just recall the archaic cataloguing system of the National Library in those days. The data records of each book (title, author, publisher, Cat No, ISBN No, description, year of publishing, #pages, size, etc.) were typed onto white cards measuring about 4" x 5" in size, using a manual typewriter. At the centre bottom of the each card there was a punched hole. The cards were arranged in order of Cat No. (I think there was also another duplicate set of cards which was arranged alphabetically according to Title.) A metal rod was run through the holes of the stack of cards and the "skewered" cards were then placed in one of dozens card drawers of a metal catalogue cabinet. The cards were "locked" in place by the metal rod this way so that they couldn't be removed from the drawer. This was to prevent the order of the cards from being messed up inadvertently.<BR/><BR/>Library users then located their books with the help of such a manual cataloguing system. Of course, nowadays the computerised cataloguing system has replaced the old system.Victorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10339178864363140977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13303109.post-91214887153024841302008-11-06T12:09:00.000+08:002008-11-06T12:09:00.000+08:00I spent endless Saturday afternoons here in the 70...I spent endless Saturday afternoons here in the 70s, browsing through what seemed to me (a kid then) to be an infinitude of wonderful books. A trip to the old NL was a treat for me if I conducted myself well. A trip there was simultaneously restful, relaxing, destressing AND intellectually enriching. I first ran into Lhu Xin, Lao Tse, Karl Marx, TinTin and ”San Mao” (a pathetic street urchin cartoon character with 3 pointy hair first published in China in the 30s), National Geographic, Discover, and Encyclopedia Britannica there. WHat I could not afford to buy in MPH I would hope to find it in the said old Library, and I was seldom disappointed. No visit would be complete without wanton noodles and ”ang dow serng” (ice kacang) at the canteen! Later in life I ”graduated” to the delicious laksa there. And the loo in the canteen was the same size as the one on a Boeing 747 jet! Eventually, on the day I ”RoM” my girlfriend (formalized my maritl registration), the whole family entourage (both my family side and in-laws)had a tea break of toast and tea at the said canteen after the registration formalities. I was one of those who cried & cried when THEY tore down MY (yes! MINE!! Its MINE!!) beloved original one-&-only red brick national library. Its now literally a hole in the ground. Sighhhh. Friends and countrymen, Singapore has made many very very expensive sacrifices on the altar of alleged ‘progress’.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13303109.post-43946709415930790952007-03-21T00:03:00.000+08:002007-03-21T00:03:00.000+08:00Goodshithappens - My, what a nick and a gross mism...Goodshithappens - My, what a nick and a gross mismatch for such a young and pretty girl, haha.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for visiting my blog and posting a comment. It's not surprising that you visited the old NL only once since you are quite young.<BR/><BR/>I browsed through your blog too. Very interesting photos of Melbourne. Looks like you are enjoying your time there. What course are you studying and I presume you are in your final year?Victorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10339178864363140977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13303109.post-19606028026034391582007-03-20T20:18:00.000+08:002007-03-20T20:18:00.000+08:00yesyes! i remember the foodstalls just outside the...yesyes! i remember the foodstalls just outside the old National Library.... always wanted to try the food there but was lazy to get down the bus which goes straight to my home. like i said to deadpoet,<BR/><BR/>"i think i stepped into the old national library only once in my entire lifetime. what a pity. back then when i needed less resources, stepping into the space surrounded by brick walls was somewhat surreal. now i shld have cherished what we had. :("sereneannabellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05696572309840475962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13303109.post-1130755157032064502005-10-31T18:39:00.000+08:002005-10-31T18:39:00.000+08:00I think many Sporeans of our generation resent the...I think many Sporeans of our generation resent the loss of this precious icons of our era.<BR/><BR/>However, I think PM Lee Hsien Loong gave a pretty good explanation during his last ND Rally speech. He wanted the next generation to hang out at the new 'hip' Bras Basah Rd area so that we they reach our age (let's not use the nasty 3-letter word)they too can reminisc fondly about it like we do now.<BR/><BR/>However, I do feel that the govt has gone overboard. I especially detest the way they keep changing the names of places. For example; Tekka - Zhu Jiao - back to Tekka, Safti, Nee Soon, Woodbridge, Kandang Kerbau etc. etc.Lam Chun Seehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01762020157703342970noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13303109.post-1128955497146479772005-10-10T22:44:00.000+08:002005-10-10T22:44:00.000+08:00You have such a rich childhood Victor and you desc...You have such a rich childhood Victor and you described it so vividly! I'm not much fan of the defunct National Library, sorry to disappoint you. Indeed, my memory of it is quite fuzzy. And I'm pretty sure it's not a matter of "generation gap".<BR/><BR/>Oh yes I remember the orange bricks all right, the drawers after drawers of catalogues, the ceiling fans. And, foodie that I am, have you forgotten the fabulous "wanton" noodle sold at the hawker centre just next to the library? <BR/><BR/>I remember the counter staff just by the entrance of the library too. You know those people who gave you a tag in exchange for your bags just so you could not bring them into the library? They were downright rude and nasty! I remembered it was pouring once and that bitch refused to let me placed the umbrella by the side of the "pigeons" and insisted that I "lugged" it along into the library!<BR/><BR/>Unfortunately (or fortunately), I hardly borrowed books from the brick building. Research? Where got time?? I was a lazy student and that probably explains where I am today :(( <BR/><BR/>The MPH adjacent to the library held more interest to me. I never failed to make a detour to the bookstore each time I was at the library. And the hawker centre just behind Pennisular Plaza? Is it still around?<BR/><BR/>I recall having played the "tikam-tikam" too but can't remember ever having won any prizes at all or how the prizes were displayed!<BR/><BR/>If only you have some photos Victor other then the one on the library (you ripped that off from the internet, didn’t you?) Go search your old albums like I did mine on "Club Street". You could "unearth" some rare germs, I mean gems, you know?Chris Simhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08760501651748435844noreply@blogger.com