The Library Pops Up at Recess!

Posted on September 26, 2026

What happens when the library comes to the boys?

On 2 September, the ACS(P) Library did just that, popping up at the canteen during recess with 250 books for the boys to browse, read and borrow.

For one morning, a familiar corner of the canteen was transformed into a little reading nook. A mobile library trolley became an inviting book stall, complete with a canopy, trailing greenery and twinkling fairy lights. Wooden crates, lanterns and some familiar owl friends added the finishing touches, while a colourful “LOOK! Pop-Up Library @ the Canteen” display welcomed the boys as they arrived for recess.

Bringing Books Closer

The idea behind the Pop-Up Library was straightforward. Instead of waiting for the boys to make their way to the library during recess, we would bring the library to them.

A selection of 250 English and Mother Tongue books was brought down to the canteen, giving the boys a chance to discover something new in the midst of their usual school day.

Some boys headed straight for the shelves, while others took their time flipping through the books on display. Several settled into the seats nearby to read before deciding which books they wanted to take home. Amid the usual bustle of recess, a small pocket of quiet reading sprung up in the canteen.

Browse. Read. Borrow.

By the end of the one-hour pop-up, 62 of the 250 books had been borrowed, nearly one in every four books brought down from the library.

More than the numbers, however, it was heartening to see the boys stopping to browse, picking up books that caught their eye and sharing their finds with one another.

Sometimes, encouraging a love of reading can be as simple as bringing the books a little closer and making the experience of discovering them a little more fun.

This first ever Library Pop Up could not have come to life without our wonderful parent volunteers and the library team. And of course, all the boys who stopped by to browse, read, and borrow.

Until the next pop-up, happy reading!