Tucked away in an ageing complex in Chinatown is a charming independent library, where visitors can pause for coffee and linger over vintage picture books
May Lin Au Yong, the sole proprietor of independent library and bookstore Eliko Picture Books & Collectibles, begins her morning at 9am with an hour of heavy lifting, moving furniture and knick-knacks in and out of her tiny 65 sq ft unit on the ground floor of Chinatown Complex. The process repeats itself when she closes up shop at 4.30pm.
Her stall of curios is an anomaly among the shops peddling clothing, souvenirs, jewellery and religious artefacts, most of which are manned by seniors. Eliko, a portmanteau of the names of her nephew and brothers, often draws curious stares from passers-by.
“I’ve been asked why I’m here, so it’s not a natural fit. I think if you think about where a natural fit would be for this shop, it would be Joo Chiat, Katong, Tiong Bahru – somewhere with a more affluent crowd, probably,” says the 48-year-old, who works as a part-time lecturer in documentary making.
The former business journalist and TV producer, who studied economics and politics in university, started this passion project after the birth of her nephew, Eli, in 2021. Then inspired by the idea of new beginnings, May Lin decided to challenge herself by building a personal library of picture books.
“I didn’t grow up with picture books, so it wasn’t as though I had a sentimental bond with them. I grew up reading Enid Blyton, Nancy Drew, Roald Dahl and so on,” she shares. “But while I was doing my master’s in 2008, I came across two picture books that were very different.”
“Eliko is modelled after the comic cafés we have here, where you pay to spend time reading the books. I wanted a way to actually share the books I collect"
One was Olivier Dunrea’s Ollie the Stomper, a charming story about a petulant gosling that still makes her smile today. The other was Shaun Tan’s The Arrival, a wordless migrant story whose intricate pencil illustrations explore displacement, identity, hope and belonging.
“That afternoon made me realise that picture books aren’t just for children, and I wanted to explore the genre further,” adds May Lin.
That discovery sparked her interest in collecting picture books, with her collection growing to about 50 titles by the time she started Eliko. The library was first located at Pearl’s Hill Terrace in 2021, before moving to Chinatown Complex in April 2025.
“Eliko is modelled after the comic cafés we have here, where you pay to spend time reading the books,” she explains. “I wanted a way to actually share the books I collect.”
To browse the picture books, customers pay an $8 fee, which allows them to settle in with a cup of coffee and read at the stall.
“I think that’s the joy of hunting for older books. The paper is different. The colour is different. It’s really vibrant – the way the ink sits on the paper"
May Lin sources many of the books herself during her travels, recently hauling 140 titles home from Japan in five bags weighing a combined 80kg.
“And I was staying in a hostel with no lift, so four of those bags had to make their way either up the staircase or be left downstairs for those few days,” she recalls with bemusement.
Keeping Eliko running comes at a cost. May Lin estimates that the library sets her back about $1,000 a month, including rent, utilities and other operating expenses. She has also invested about $15,000 in building a collection that now includes around 600 books.
“What funds this is that I moved back home to my parents’ place. I’m staying in the storeroom. My bedroom is half this size. I have no place for books,” she reveals.
Among her favourite titles are a pop-up book by the late Japanese artist Katsumi Komagata and The Arrival. Neither is for sale, though May Lin admits she may eventually have to part with them to make room for new additions.
Other books are easier to let go of. A handful are available for sale, with most priced between $25 and $30, while older titles can go up to $100. The oldest in her collection is a Beatrix Potter series printed in 1905.
“I think that’s the joy of hunting for older books. The paper is different. The colour is different. It’s really vibrant – the way the ink sits on the paper,” she shares. “It’s about being able to delight in the craftsmanship of these books as well.”
For May Lin, running an independent library is hardly about turning a profit.
“Obviously, no one goes into the bookselling business for money. It is a difficult business. It is an existential business,” she says. “But I think being able to see people enjoy the space is satisfying.”
Click here for more information on Eliko Picture Books & Collectibles.
