I AM appalled by the countless tattered books in our libraries.

No, do not point the finger at the library. Some books may not be tattered due to wear and tear; rather, inconsiderate people intentionally damage them.

Recently, I borrowed an academic book, which smelled like it had just come off the presses but had many dog-ears. Inside, a previous borrower had underlined text heavily in pencil.

Last week, my wife borrowed a fairly new recipe book. Some pages were missing. I assume someone deliberately ripped out recipes rather than photocopy them.

Some time ago, my seven-year-old granddaughter borrowed two children's books. One had scribbles all over it.

The National Library Board provides a comprehensive assortment of books for our reading pleasure. Some popular titles may not even be available in public libraries in other developed countries.

Our National Library is one of the best in the world. To appreciate its effort, the least we can do is handle books with care when we check them out. Parents should set an example and teach their children to handle books with care.

Spare a thought for other borrowers. Suppose information is needed for research, but missing pages in a book mean the information is incomplete - this is very frustrating to a researcher.

To me, this antisocial behaviour is more shocking than the tattered books - which can be replaced - because our attitude determines our action. There is a need to change this antisocial behaviour.

Lin Qen Wen

This article was first published in The Straits Times on Oct 6, 2008.

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