Went with a friend to the SAFTI MI library a couple of days ago (and I defy even the ardent library-hoppers to tell me that they’ve been there before). It was not just whimsy – I needed information on U.N. peacekeeping (particularly Singaporean involvement in) and I thought that that might be the most sensible place to go to find it. Arrived mid-afternoon on the 1-8-something and stepped out into drizzle and dampness. At the security checkpoint, there was a large sign announcing that visitors are not allowed to bring cameras/recording equipment/laptops etc. into the camp. I had my laptop but wasn’t about to give it up (I didn’t have the foresight to bring any other writing equipment or anything to take notes on), thus, in the spirit of pissing in the Army’s (figurative) eye, I clutched it to my bosom and brought it in anyway. (I can hear the sarcastic voices right now telling me what a rebel I am).

SAFTI was fairly deserted – just the odd corporal walking around and a clutch of majors on a coffee break in the canteen. Otherwise – wide open spaces, forlorn flags overlooking the parade square, military neatness with no one to appreciate it. The library is a non-descript two-story brick building, easily missed. It’s part of the NLB chain (no need to go back to return books!) but runs on a different borrowing system – you can check out four additional books in SAFTI on top of however many you’re entitled to normally. Finding that out was a nice surprise – I used to think that it had mostly reference books and whatever other important documents the SAF hoards, stuff that can't be borrowed. Also good to know was that it wasn’t a dreary, army-ish kind of place. It’s nicely lit, the furniture is new, and there are individual study carrels (ah, Perkins), all of which are enticements to stay. More importantly, the librarians are exceedingly helpful – one of them spent a good fifteen minutes hunting down a misshelved book for me. Props.

So I got everything I needed, and we had a little something in the canteen (horrendous) while waiting for the rain to die down a little, whereupon I went to play bridge and got scolded for a poor opening lead (which I didn’t think was so poor) among several other purported misdemeanours. And that was Monday.