The sight of a harp at an HDB void deck might seem more than a little unusual. But at the Holland Village (HV) Little Library at Block 2 Holland Avenue, the extraordinary has become almost ordinary.
There are shelves of books, a piano, neighbours chatting over a potluck, children discovering stories, vegetables being distributed to residents, or musicians breaking into an impromptu performance.
And, on Aug 2, at its fourth anniversary celebration, there was even a harp.
Ms Shanti Maniam, 26, who happened to be passing by after visiting a friend nearby, stopped to take in the unexpected scene.
“Really, what are the odds of seeing a harpist performing in an HDB estate?” she marvelled.
The harpist was the 29-year-old niece of Ms Wong Kae Chee, the pioneer of this community initiative, which began in August 2022 with little more than a bookshelf and some books.
Ms Wong, 70, lives on the 19th floor of Block 2 and is a music educator for the harp and piano.
She also sings and, rather remarkably, is also adept at performing with the 12+1 ring of Cathedral bells.
Four years ago, Ms Wong carried a cabinet down to the void deck and filled it with books from her home. The next day, another cabinet appeared.
Soon, more shelves, books, furniture, plants and decorations followed, donated by residents and supporters and transforming an ordinary HDB void deck into what many residents describe as an extension of their living room.
There are no membership cards, no fines and no librarians. There’s only goodwill and trust, and goodwill, as it turns out, can spread beyond books.
Besides residents reading by themselves or groups sharing sewing tips, needles and threads, there are regular singalongs. Even, a donated piano that invites beginners and experienced musicians alike to play. Performances can often spring up spontaneously, turning an ordinary evening into an impromptu neighbourhood concert.
On other days, communal tables host potluck gatherings that strengthen friendships one shared meal at a time. Even gardening has become part of the story as residents nurture vegetables near the library and share the harvest with neighbours.
Like the library itself, the garden thrives because someone notices what needs to be done and lends a helping hand. It is a reminder that communities, like gardens, flourish through small, consistent acts of care.
The library has also become a place where schools, volunteers and community groups come together. Students have organised reading programmes for preschool children, while countless residents contribute books, furniture, decorations and ideas.
In a fast-paced city where neighbours sometimes know each other only by sight, the little library has become a place where strangers become familiar faces and familiar faces become friends.
The library’s role as a social space has been particularly important for older residents.
Ms Wong points out that many seniors in the estate are first-generation homeowners whose children have since moved away. The library gives these elderly residents somewhere to go, people to meet and a community to belong to.
Perhaps the greatest achievement of HV Little Library cannot be counted in the number of books on its shelves or the amount of vegetables distributed.
Ms Wong puts it best: “Void means an empty space, or zero, but the HV Little Library is proof that a small void deck can blossom into an entire world of belonging.”
tabla@sph.com.sg
