Odd Library Spree

I was searching high and low for a book shelf with CALL no. 686.2244536; all over Bedok Community Library's "computer-related books area". There was Photoshop, Dreamweaver on one-side and tons of programming books on the other. Wondered where the Adobe InDesign book, I was looking for, was.

I had to trouble a lady from the helpdesk downstairs to help me find it. She led me to an unfamiliar-end of the library with a sign "Non-Fiction" hanging above it. Around me were books about Language and Humanities, Travel and General-Interest subjects. We stopped at the last row of shelves facing the window.

An info-tab on one shelf read "686". "Aha! I'm gonna find it soon!", I thought. I scanned the two shelves and noticed a few very interesting titles printed on the book-spines. "Wow! Why haven't I been here before?" These were books that were especially catered for graphic-design junkies. Books about Typography, Layout, Layout Software and also some Design-Showcase/Annuals.

I wonder what these were doing here, half-a-library-length away from the other computer-software books. Perhaps there wasn't enough space back there; or not enough graphic-design books in the collection to get its own subject-matter-dedicated bookshelves.

I looked further up Shelf "686" and saw that the other nearest CALL no. was quite some way off - like "100.**" And then my eye caught the words "Isreal", printed in bold fonts, on the spines of four books. They were travel books, found amidst titles like "The Perfect Bath", "Marie Claire Beauty Tips", "Guy Style"- many other books on personal care and grooming... Beside the four travel books were 2 titles on "Feng Shui"; with no similar-subject books to be found nearby. Then I remembered the helpful library-lady telling me that some readers like to "browse and chuck (their books) anywhere". How strange... Still I suspected how those "out-of-place" titles were so neatly arranged, like as if they went meant to be there. Or were they meant not to be found? Maybe some anti-Zionist and geomancy-skeptic wanted to.. (ok, I shan't go further to dramatise the possible identities of fellow library-users.. But heh, u never know if Al Qae... d..) Hmm...


By the way, the National Library Board is DOUBLING loan quotas for regular members from now till 1st Jan 2006! That's 8 books for you to get all wriggly in between printed sheets of dead trees! (I've kapo-ed altogether abt 20 books using my mine, Mom's and bro's membership cards ;p; and still can borrow 4 more) wonder if i can read/digest finish in time though.. bleh..

Good luck to all those preparing for exams too!