Uncles allegedly take donated books at Marine Parade library, then sell them off

Two elderly men have been reportedly taking books from the Book Exchange Corner in Marine Parade Public Library for over a year, and selling them afterwards.

Beginning in 2014, the Book Exchange Corners are sections in the libraries where members of the public can donate books for others to read. 

People who are interested in the books can simply read them within the library, or take them home, without needing to check out the books or inform the librarians. 

However, they are required to return the books eventually, once they are done.

After receiving a tip-off from a reader, reporters from Lianhe Wanbao visited the library on Wednesday (Jan 3) at around 5.45pm and witnessed an elderly man taking books from the corner. 

The man swept the shelves clean, placing more than 30 books and magazines in a recyclable bag that he was carrying. 

He subsequently dumped the books into a basket on a bicycle parked outside the library.

Not long after, the man returned to the library and sat at a corner to read the newspaper. 

However, he would occasionally steal glances at the Book Exchange Corner to see if anyone was placing books on the shelf.

Whenever anyone donated or returned a book, the man would quickly grab the book, and place it the basket on his bicycle.

Reporters returned on Thursday (Jan 4) and saw two elderly men, including the man from the previous day, rushing to the Book Exchange Corner as soon as the library was opened at around 10am. 

A third elderly man was heard shouting to the two:

“There is none.

“No one donated books today. There are no books for you today!”

The two elderly men left soon after. 

An employee who works near the library told Lianhe Wanbao:

“The two uncles frequently visit the corner to take books, and I’ve ever seen them fighting over books.

“I feel that they shouldn’t do that.

“The books are donated for the public to read, not for them to take.”