While most visitors headed to the Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair (PBAKL) with shopping lists and empty tote bags, one attendee ended up going viral for a completely different reason, collecting stamps.
A Threads post by user @elysian_booksish recently caught the attention of fellow book lovers after she shared her collection of more than 170 stamps gathered from booths across the book fair. Instead of focusing solely on buying books, she turned stamp collecting into a personal challenge, hunting down unique designs from exhibitors throughout the event.
A Hidden Attraction at PBAKL
For many Malaysians, PBAKL is a chance to discover new reads, meet authors, and take advantage of book fair discounts. However, the viral post highlighted a lesser-known activity that has quietly become part of the annual event experience.
Many exhibitors offer their own custom stamps, allowing visitors to collect designs featuring mascots, logos, illustrations, and book-themed artwork. While some attendees may only pick up a few as souvenirs, others take the challenge much more seriously.
Photos shared by the user showed pages filled with colourful and intricate stamp designs collected from publishers, organisations, and participating booths throughout the venue.
Visitors Shared Their Own Collections
The post quickly sparked conversations among other PBAKL visitors, many of whom shared photos of their own stamp collections in the comments.
Some showcased stamps that were not included in the original collection, while others exchanged recommendations on where to find booths offering unique or lesser-known designs. Several users also compared the number of stamps they had managed to collect during their visit.
What began as a simple social media post soon became a showcase of the creativity and variety found across the fair, with attendees helping each other discover stamps they may have missed.
A Real-Life Side Quest
For some visitors, collecting stamps became more than just a keepsake activity. The challenge encouraged them to explore different halls, visit smaller booths, and engage with exhibitors they might have otherwise overlooked.
In many ways, it felt like a real-life side quest, one that rewarded curiosity rather than spending power.
Judging by the enthusiasm online, stamp collecting may have become one of PBAKL’s most unexpected attractions this year, proving that sometimes the most memorable part of the book fair is not the books you bring home, but the experiences you collect along the way.
Source: elysian_booksish/Thread