An ongoing journey of experimentation and innovation to reimagine the future of libraries and archives.
First launched in 2021, LAB25 (Libraries & Archives Blueprint 2025) was NLB’s response to the uncertainty and challenges wrought by the pandemic and other societal shifts. Since then, we have experimented and worked with our partners to transform the libraries and archives, empowering you to learn and discover continuously.
As we move beyond 2025, LAB (Libraries & Archives Blueprint) will continue to build on all that we have done with LAB25. Experimenting and innovating will be core to how we drive Discovery, a continued quest beyond fixed time frames to seek breakthroughs, to be always adapting, always pushing boundaries.
NLB has been relentless in its efforts to nurture reading and to bring knowledge to all Singaporeans. From its formation in 1995 as a statutory board to transform Singapore’s public libraries, to managing the National Archives in 2012, to the development of a network of new regional and community libraries under the Library 2000 Masterplan, NLB has always kept in pace with the nation’s growth.
In recent years, reading, learning and discovery – the mainstays of NLB – have been transformed by the forces of social media and digitalisation, seismic societal shifts and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Amid these changes, there was a new sense of possibility. What if we could reimagine our offerings since the idea of what was normal had been completely overturned? That became the driving question for LAB25, NLB’s next phase of transformation which was launched in October 2021 following engagements with our patrons, volunteers and staff. To guide our transformation, we identified four key roles to help those we serve: building a Learning Marketplace, nurturing an Informed Citizenry, inspiring Singapore Storytellers, and being an Equaliser.
Since the launch of LAB25, we have reinvented ourselves by experimenting and working with our patrons and partners.
“I am convinced that the four roles we set out for ourselves at the beginning of LAB25 are more relevant than ever before. Undergirding these is Discovery – NLB of the future can help people discover who they are, how to realise their aspirations and what to make of the world.”
– Ng Cher Pong, Chief Executive, NLB
The world of libraries, archives and those we serve will continue to be disrupted. As we move beyond 2025, LAB (Libraries & Archives Blueprint) will continue to build on all that we have done with LAB25. Innovation and experimentation are now our way of life at NLB, and guided by the four roles, we will continue to drive Discovery.
Discovery, to us, is about expanded horizons, being excited to uncover something you didn’t know and being empowered by new knowledge. A public delighted to discover is a public that is open-minded, inquisitive and curious, and that is a public that NLB wants to see and nurture. To do this, we want the public to discover more of our content, discover easily through our channels, and to discover together through community.
Come and discover the new and unexpected with us.
More about our LAB25 journey:
Read more about our LAB25 journey in our publication, “NLB’s LAB Story: Reading, Learning and Discovery”, which features key projects and experiments that NLB had embarked on, capturing our wins and lessons learnt along the way.
NLB has been relentless in its efforts to nurture reading and to bring knowledge to all Singaporeans. From its formation in 1995 as a statutory board to transform Singapore’s public libraries, to managing the National Archives in 2012, to the development of a network of new regional and community libraries under the Library 2000 Masterplan, NLB has always kept in pace with the nation’s growth.
In recent years, reading, learning and discovery – the mainstays of NLB – have been transformed by the forces of social media and digitalisation, seismic societal shifts and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Amid these changes, there was a new sense of possibility. What if we could reimagine our offerings since the idea of what was normal had been completely overturned? That became the driving question for LAB25, NLB’s next phase of transformation which was launched in October 2021 following engagements with our patrons, volunteers and staff. To guide our transformation, we identified four key roles to help those we serve: building a Learning Marketplace, nurturing an Informed Citizenry, inspiring Singapore Storytellers, and being an Equaliser.
Since the launch of LAB25, we have reinvented ourselves by experimenting and working with our patrons and partners.
“I am convinced that the four roles we set out for ourselves at the beginning of LAB25 are more relevant than ever before. Undergirding these is Discovery – NLB of the future can help people discover who they are, how to realise their aspirations and what to make of the world.”
– Ng Cher Pong, Chief Executive, NLB
The world of libraries, archives and those we serve will continue to be disrupted. As we move beyond 2025, LAB (Libraries & Archives Blueprint) will continue to build on all that we have done with LAB25. Innovation and experimentation are now our way of life at NLB, and guided by the four roles, we will continue to drive Discovery.
Discovery, to us, is about expanded horizons, being excited to uncover something you didn’t know and being empowered by new knowledge. A public delighted to discover is a public that is open-minded, inquisitive and curious, and that is a public that NLB wants to see and nurture. To do this, we want the public to discover more of our content, discover easily through our channels, and to discover together through community.
Come and discover the new and unexpected with us.
More about our LAB25 journey:
Read more about our LAB25 journey in our publication, “NLB’s LAB Story: Reading, Learning and Discovery”, which features key projects and experiments that NLB had embarked on, capturing our wins and lessons learnt along the way.
To transform NLB into a national platform of lifelong learning with like-minded partners
Our vision is to expand our user base into a major national platform by opening our doors to partners interested in advancing lifelong learning and discovery. These partners can benefit from this expanded platform and play their part in expanding it further in a virtuous cycle of agglomeration by bringing in their content and audiences. Patrons will be able to enjoy a far greater and more diverse outlay of content and services in their lifelong learning journey.
To realise the Learning Marketplace, we will continue to focus on these key areas. First, transforming our platforms by further integrating our physical and digital offerings into a network of immersive hubs and nodes. Second, providing multiple learning pathways such as personalised recommendations for each patron with the use of data and machine learning to string resources to help lifelong learners continually build on their learning. Lastly, supporting learning communities by connecting patrons with similar learning interests, leveraging the timeless power of libraries as relevant and effective community and social spaces for people to come together.
To transform NLB into a national platform of lifelong learning with like-minded partners
Our vision is to expand our user base into a major national platform by opening our doors to partners interested in advancing lifelong learning and discovery. These partners can benefit from this expanded platform and play their part in expanding it further in a virtuous cycle of agglomeration by bringing in their content and audiences. Patrons will be able to enjoy a far greater and more diverse outlay of content and services in their lifelong learning journey.
To realise the Learning Marketplace, we will continue to focus on these key areas. First, transforming our platforms by further integrating our physical and digital offerings into a network of immersive hubs and nodes. Second, providing multiple learning pathways such as personalised recommendations for each patron with the use of data and machine learning to string resources to help lifelong learners continually build on their learning. Lastly, supporting learning communities by connecting patrons with similar learning interests, leveraging the timeless power of libraries as relevant and effective community and social spaces for people to come together.
To nurture a thoughtful people who read regularly and reflect deeply on what they come across every day
In this age of distraction and polarisation, we see the importance of seeding the habit of T-shaped discovery – so that one may read and learn deeply and widely to appreciate a range of perspectives, and steer clear of rabbit holes and echo chambers. Our aspiration is to provide a platform for the public to access thought leaders and content creators, a wide range of resources and perspectives, as well as the skills to be discerning.
To do this, we are powered by our tried and tested initiatives – the National Reading Movement, which encourages the community to “Read More, Read Widely, and Read Together”, and S.U.R.E., our information literacy programme that teaches people to discern the facts from fake news) – and our extensive networks of partners.
Note: At the beginning of LAB25, we called this pillar “Informed Citizenry”. As we moved into LAB, we broadened the scope to include reading alongside information literacy, reflecting NLB’s focus on reading as part of our mission.
To nurture a thoughtful people who read regularly and reflect deeply on what they come across every day
In this age of distraction and polarisation, we see the importance of seeding the habit of T-shaped discovery – so that one may read and learn deeply and widely to appreciate a range of perspectives, and steer clear of rabbit holes and echo chambers. Our aspiration is to provide a platform for the public to access thought leaders and content creators, a wide range of resources and perspectives, as well as the skills to be discerning.
To do this, we are powered by our tried and tested initiatives – the National Reading Movement, which encourages the community to “Read More, Read Widely, and Read Together”, and S.U.R.E., our information literacy programme that teaches people to discern the facts from fake news) – and our extensive networks of partners.
Note: At the beginning of LAB25, we called this pillar “Informed Citizenry”. As we moved into LAB, we broadened the scope to include reading alongside information literacy, reflecting NLB’s focus on reading as part of our mission.
To inspire discovery and creation of Singapore stories and instil a deeper appreciation of our collective experience
Our past is a treasure trove of memories and stories that have helped shape our shared experience as Singaporeans. Through Singapore Storytellers, we hope to nurture a stronger appreciation and understanding of our collective Singapore experience.
In addition to collecting content about Singapore, we will continue to lead digital preservation of content, enable the discovery and use of content as a connector and inspire generations of storytellers. We envision this role to be a shared partnership with Singaporeans, as we elicit curiosity and wonder, and help shape an understanding of Singapore’s heritage and identity in the process.
To inspire discovery and creation of Singapore stories and instil a deeper appreciation of our collective experience
Our past is a treasure trove of memories and stories that have helped shape our shared experience as Singaporeans. Through Singapore Storytellers, we hope to nurture a stronger appreciation and understanding of our collective Singapore experience.
In addition to collecting content about Singapore, we will continue to lead digital preservation of content, enable the discovery and use of content as a connector and inspire generations of storytellers. We envision this role to be a shared partnership with Singaporeans, as we elicit curiosity and wonder, and help shape an understanding of Singapore’s heritage and identity in the process.
To bridge gaps, include more and empower all in this digital age
Building on NLB’s long tradition of making reading and access to information accessible to all, we are ramping up our efforts to bridge societal gaps and empower as many people as we can in this digital age. We will continue reaching out children from lower-income families to share the joy of learning through our longstanding kidsREAD initiative, tailoring library services and programmes for persons with disabilities, as well as supporting digital inclusion to ensure that digital skills do not become a barrier to reading, learning and discovery.
Through our various tech prototypes and showcases, we also seek to help Singaporeans experience and understand emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, offering even those who are tech-savvy with new opportunities for learning and advancement.
To bridge gaps, include more and empower all in this digital age
Building on NLB’s long tradition of making reading and access to information accessible to all, we are ramping up our efforts to bridge societal gaps and empower as many people as we can in this digital age. We will continue reaching out children from lower-income families to share the joy of learning through our longstanding kidsREAD initiative, tailoring library services and programmes for persons with disabilities, as well as supporting digital inclusion to ensure that digital skills do not become a barrier to reading, learning and discovery. Through our various tech prototypes and showcases, we also seek to help Singaporeans experience and understand emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, offering even those who are tech-savvy with new opportunities for learning and advancement.
1. Punggol Library
In 2023, Punggol Library became the first public library in Singapore to pilot a suite of services for persons with disabilities – an important milestone in our growing role as an Equaliser. This includes:
- Calm Pod: A space for persons with disabilities when they need a private and calming sensorial experience. It comprises a waiting area with sensory aids, and a more private space with padded walls and flooring.
- Borrow-n-Go: Featuring Ultra-High Frequency Radio Identification technology and a wide passageway, this feature makes book borrowing easy for wheelchair users. There are also Book Borrowing Stations with wheelchair-accessible tables, as well as increased font sizes on their inteaces for persons with partial vision loss.
- Assistive Technology: Catalogue stations have joy sticks, trackballs and large-key keyboards and high contrast keyboards that are specially designed for supporting persons with disabilities.
- Accessible Collection: This is a special collection of about 3,000 English books for children and adults with disabilities, their caregivers and their communities. For instance, there are Braille books for those with visual impairment, and social stories that help persons with disabilities learn what to expect and how to navigate different situations and settings. There are also books for caregivers who want to learn about specific disabilities.
These innovations were the result of a process of engagement that started back in 2018, when a small group of our staff started experimenting with programmes for persons with disabilities. Feedback from the community continues to shape our approach to accessibility. Today, in addition to these services, we also invite persons with disabilities to conduct programmes in our libraries as well as to be featured in them. Explore more of Punggol Library’s features here and plan a visit to discover them for yourself!
2. Nodes
Nodes are located outside our libraries and serve as new entry points into our services and collections, providing an opportunity to showcase our materials, such as those from the National Archives of Singapore. They are an extension of learning experiences beyond our physical libraries and aim to bring content and services to wherever people frequent as they go about their daily lives.
Our Nodes include our pop-up libraries, which offer curated physical books for patrons to borrow. They use a self-checkout system called Grab-n-Go, featuring gantries and enabled by Ultra-High Frequency Radio Identification technology, that allows the seamless borrowing of multiple books by simply going through exit gantries.
Find out more about our ongoing Nodes here!
3. Gen AI prototypes
In a wide-ranging experiment to push new frontiers in learning and discovery, we have been experimenting with the use of new cutting-edge technologies such as Generative AI. We worked with our partners to launch our Gen AI prototypes, ChatBook and StoryGen in 2024.
ChatBook
Each iteration of this Gen AI-powered chatbot draws on the content of a specific book or books and related NLB resources. Users can ask questions and learn more about the book’s subject through the generated responses.
The first iteration, which came in a web and a WhatsApp version, allowed patrons to “chat” with the book, Seven Hundred Years: A History of Singapore*, typing in questions and getting answers in text. We then went on to build the next ChatBook using both volumes of the authorised biography of S. Rajaratnam by Irene Ng and published by the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, as well as 14 hours of oral history by Rajaratnam from the National Archives. We also added e-resources on Singapore, including the National Library’s Infopedia articles and our publications such as Seven Hundred Years: A History of Singapore. The response so far has been encouraging, with patrons saying that they wanted to learn more about Rajaratnam after using ChatBook. This showed us the potential of ChatBook to inspire further discovery and interaction with other NLB resources.
*Seven Hundred Years: A History of Singapore by Kwa Chong Guan, Derek Heng, Peter Borschberg and Tan Tai Yong was co-published by NLB and Marshall Cavendish Editions in 2019. Even though NLB owned the copyright to the book, we obtained permission from the book’s authors and co-publisher to include it in the dataset for ChatBook.
StoryGen
This Gen AI prototype showcases the technology’s image generation capabilities and helps users discover great stories and writers by experiencing them in new ways.
StoryGen was first launched in 2024 when Central Library reopened after a revamp. We selected a few well-loved stories that were out of copyright – including folktales about early Singapore such as those from the Sejarah Melayu – and created an interface for users to mix them up with prompts such as location, characters, ending and genre. Their stories would then come alive in an immersive visual experience generated on the large, curved screens of the library’s Immersive Room, enhanced with the addition of music. Since then, we have launched other editions of StoryGen, including the Horror Edition at Haw Par Villa in late 2024. Singapore writer Pugalenthi Sr was invited to create horror stories exclusively for this. All StoryGen showcases also feature explainers and resources about the potential and issues surrounding Gen AI.
4. SG60 Heart&Soul Experience (26 August – 31 December 2025)
SG60 Heart&Soul Experience brings to life Singapore’s vision for tomorrow through an immersive, multi-sensory journey across our past, present, and future. Held in celebration of SG60, the Experience invites you to reflect on Singapore’s journey, your place in it, and what lies ahead. What makes this Experience unique is its use of generative AI to assist in tailoring each visit – turning every experience into a personalised adventure.
SG60 Heart&Soul Experience is jointly organised by the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) and NLB. Book your free ticket to the Experience here.
5. LearnX: Learning Pathways and Communities
We had a vision that the libraries would be a space where patrons would be able to broaden and deepen their learning across different topics. And through a virtuous cycle of like-minded people bringing and sharing their own experiences, everyone’s learning would be amplified. We called this whole effort LearnX, where X (like the symbol for multiplication) stands for amplification.
Our LearnX Learning Pathways are a gateway to learning and discovery, offering a wide range of programmes and resources. You can explore specially curated pathways for eight key learning focus areas – Digital, Careers, Sustainability, Reading, Science, Singapore, Wellness, Arts – or be empowered to create your own tailor-made learning journey. Our communities are the heartbeat of our libraries. With our LearnX Communities initiative, we engage with groups across our public libraries to empower volunteer-led learning communities that span a diverse range of interests and passions.
Explore our Learning Pathways and find your learning community today on our LearnX website!
6. Singapore Storytellers Video Series
Comprising three original video series, Singapore Storytellers highlight the collections of the National Library and the National Archives of Singapore through innovative storytelling. Discover untold stories of Singapore – about the people who lived, the food we love, and the way things were.
One of these series is From Book to Cook, which explores Singapore’s food history. Using recipes in the National Library collection as our starting point, we invited different food experts to recreate these recipes and share their histories with librarian (and series host) Paddy Ong. Check out the other two series here: Time Travelling Trio and Stories from BiblioAsia.
7. Read to be SURE
LAB25 gave us an opportunity to explore how to better connect with a broader audience through S.U.R.E., our information literacy programme. We did this through launching Read to be SURE in 2021, which aims to educate and inform the public on trending topics through a combination of curated reading content and accompanying programmes. By exploring multiple perspectives on these topics, readers and participants will benefit from a balanced and credible knowledge base.
Catch up with our latest Read to be SURE content here.
8. National Reading Movement’s Partnerships
Launched in 2016, the National Reading Movement seeks to promote the joy of reading in Singapore and nurture a vibrant reading culture among the community. With LAB25, we sought to reach out to new partners and find new ways to connect with non-readers and lapsed readers. This included working with popular brands that also believed in the importance of reading such as MUJI and UNIQLO.
Shoppers dropping in at the MUJI stores at Jewel Changi Airport and Plaza Singapura in 2021 and 2022 might have come across a wall of bookmarks that had been lovingly designed by the National Reading Movement. On each bookmark was a haiku, inspired by a book in our collection, as well as a QR code that linked to that book.
In 2024, we also collaborated with clothing retailer UNIQLO to design a library showcasing 30 titles at their 51@AMK outlet. In line with the store’s sustainability focus, we selected books that spanned environmental, wellness and lifestyle themes, which shoppers could borrow from NLB by scanning the QR codes. As part of UNIQLO’s UTme! collection, we designed eight T-shirts inspired by the love for reading and four Singapore Literature titles, including Sugarbread by Balli Kaur Jaswal and A Bad Girl’s Book of Animals by Wong May.
Keep up with the National Reading Movement here.
9. Borrow-n-Deliver
With LAB25, we wanted to reimagine what our Learning Marketplace could look like, beyond our physical spaces. How could we reach people anywhere and everywhere they were? What if we could offer a delivery service so that our patrons could have items from our collections delivered right to their doorsteps?
We launched Borrow-n-Deliver in 2023, a service that our patrons can use to select up to 4 available items via NLB's e-Catalogue, including books, magazines and audio-visual materials, and have them delivered to their homes for a fee of $8.72 (GST-inclusive). Click here for more details and make your first order today!
10. Curiocity
In 2022, as part of Singapore Storytellers, we decided to showcase more place histories through an initiative called Curiocity. Its earliest iterations included installations created by local artists and were part of the Light to Night Festival and Singapore Night Festival. We also organised Curiocity events such as treasure hunts and refreshed the website to make use of digital storytelling tools to create content that tell interactive and compelling stories about the history of places in Singapore.
We also launched Glue: Curiocity in 2024, because we wanted to try glueing different stories about different Singapore spaces across time into a gamified experience. These were on-site experiences at Jurong Library and Harbourfront Library, with interactive touchscreens that allowed patrons to explore the histories of Jurong and Harbourfront through resources from the National Library and National Archives. Patrons could also take a quiz to generate a personalised itinerary for that neighbourhood.
Check out Curiocity here!
1. Punggol Library
In 2023, Punggol Library became the first public library in Singapore to pilot a suite of services for persons with disabilities – an important milestone in our growing role as an Equaliser. This includes:
- Calm Pod: A space for persons with disabilities when they need a private and calming sensorial experience. It comprises a waiting area with sensory aids, and a more private space with padded walls and flooring.
- Borrow-n-Go: Featuring Ultra-High Frequency Radio Identification technology and a wide passageway, this feature makes book borrowing easy for wheelchair users. There are also Book Borrowing Stations with wheelchair-accessible tables, as well as increased font sizes on their inteaces for persons with partial vision loss.
- Assistive Technology: Catalogue stations have joy sticks, trackballs and large-key keyboards and high contrast keyboards that are specially designed for supporting persons with disabilities.
- Accessible Collection: This is a special collection of about 3,000 English books for children and adults with disabilities, their caregivers and their communities. For instance, there are Braille books for those with visual impairment, and social stories that help persons with disabilities learn what to expect and how to navigate different situations and settings. There are also books for caregivers who want to learn about specific disabilities.
These innovations were the result of a process of engagement that started back in 2018, when a small group of our staff started experimenting with programmes for persons with disabilities. Feedback from the community continues to shape our approach to accessibility. Today, in addition to these services, we also invite persons with disabilities to conduct programmes in our libraries as well as to be featured in them. Explore more of Punggol Library’s features here and plan a visit to discover them for yourself!
2. Nodes
Nodes are located outside our libraries and serve as new entry points into our services and collections, providing an opportunity to showcase our materials, such as those from the National Archives of Singapore. They are an extension of learning experiences beyond our physical libraries and aim to bring content and services to wherever people frequent as they go about their daily lives.
Our Nodes include our pop-up libraries, which offer curated physical books for patrons to borrow. They use a self-checkout system called Grab-n-Go, featuring gantries and enabled by Ultra-High Frequency Radio Identification technology, that allows the seamless borrowing of multiple books by simply going through exit gantries.
Find out more about our ongoing Nodes here!
3. Gen AI prototypes
In a wide-ranging experiment to push new frontiers in learning and discovery, we have been experimenting with the use of new cutting-edge technologies such as Generative AI. We worked with our partners to launch our Gen AI prototypes, ChatBook and StoryGen in 2024.
ChatBook
Each iteration of this Gen AI-powered chatbot draws on the content of a specific book or books and related NLB resources. Users can ask questions and learn more about the book’s subject through the generated responses.
The first iteration, which came in a web and a WhatsApp version, allowed patrons to “chat” with the book, Seven Hundred Years: A History of Singapore*, typing in questions and getting answers in text. We then went on to build the next ChatBook using both volumes of the authorised biography of S. Rajaratnam by Irene Ng and published by the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, as well as 14 hours of oral history by Rajaratnam from the National Archives. We also added e-resources on Singapore, including the National Library’s Infopedia articles and our publications such as Seven Hundred Years: A History of Singapore. The response so far has been encouraging, with patrons saying that they wanted to learn more about Rajaratnam after using ChatBook. This showed us the potential of ChatBook to inspire further discovery and interaction with other NLB resources.
*Seven Hundred Years: A History of Singapore by Kwa Chong Guan, Derek Heng, Peter Borschberg and Tan Tai Yong was co-published by NLB and Marshall Cavendish Editions in 2019. Even though NLB owned the copyright to the book, we obtained permission from the book’s authors and co-publisher to include it in the dataset for ChatBook.
StoryGen
This Gen AI prototype showcases the technology’s image generation capabilities and helps users discover great stories and writers by experiencing them in new ways.
StoryGen was first launched in 2024 when Central Library reopened after a revamp. We selected a few well-loved stories that were out of copyright – including folktales about early Singapore such as those from the Sejarah Melayu – and created an interface for users to mix them up with prompts such as location, characters, ending and genre. Their stories would then come alive in an immersive visual experience generated on the large, curved screens of the library’s Immersive Room, enhanced with the addition of music. Since then, we have launched other editions of StoryGen, including the Horror Edition at Haw Par Villa in late 2024. Singapore writer Pugalenthi Sr was invited to create horror stories exclusively for this. All StoryGen showcases also feature explainers and resources about the potential and issues surrounding Gen AI.
4. SG60 Heart&Soul Experience (26 August – 31 December 2025)
SG60 Heart&Soul Experience brings to life Singapore’s vision for tomorrow through an immersive, multi-sensory journey across our past, present, and future. Held in celebration of SG60, the Experience invites you to reflect on Singapore’s journey, your place in it, and what lies ahead. What makes this Experience unique is its use of generative AI to assist in tailoring each visit – turning every experience into a personalised adventure.
SG60 Heart&Soul Experience is jointly organised by the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) and NLB. Book your free ticket to the Experience here.
5. LearnX: Learning Pathways and Communities
We had a vision that the libraries would be a space where patrons would be able to broaden and deepen their learning across different topics. And through a virtuous cycle of like-minded people bringing and sharing their own experiences, everyone’s learning would be amplified. We called this whole effort LearnX, where X (like the symbol for multiplication) stands for amplification.
Our LearnX Learning Pathways are a gateway to learning and discovery, offering a wide range of programmes and resources. You can explore specially curated pathways for eight key learning focus areas – Digital, Careers, Sustainability, Reading, Science, Singapore, Wellness, Arts – or be empowered to create your own tailor-made learning journey. Our communities are the heartbeat of our libraries. With our LearnX Communities initiative, we engage with groups across our public libraries to empower volunteer-led learning communities that span a diverse range of interests and passions.
Explore our Learning Pathways and find your learning community today on our LearnX website!
6. Singapore Storytellers Video Series
Comprising three original video series, Singapore Storytellers highlight the collections of the National Library and the National Archives of Singapore through innovative storytelling. Discover untold stories of Singapore – about the people who lived, the food we love, and the way things were.
One of these series is From Book to Cook, which explores Singapore’s food history. Using recipes in the National Library collection as our starting point, we invited different food experts to recreate these recipes and share their histories with librarian (and series host) Paddy Ong. Check out the other two series here: Time Travelling Trio and Stories from BiblioAsia.
7. Read to be SURE
LAB25 gave us an opportunity to explore how to better connect with a broader audience through S.U.R.E., our information literacy programme. We did this through launching Read to be SURE in 2021, which aims to educate and inform the public on trending topics through a combination of curated reading content and accompanying programmes. By exploring multiple perspectives on these topics, readers and participants will benefit from a balanced and credible knowledge base.
Catch up with our latest Read to be SURE content here.
8. National Reading Movement’s Partnerships
Launched in 2016, the National Reading Movement seeks to promote the joy of reading in Singapore and nurture a vibrant reading culture among the community. With LAB25, we sought to reach out to new partners and find new ways to connect with non-readers and lapsed readers. This included working with popular brands that also believed in the importance of reading such as MUJI and UNIQLO.
Shoppers dropping in at the MUJI stores at Jewel Changi Airport and Plaza Singapura in 2021 and 2022 might have come across a wall of bookmarks that had been lovingly designed by the National Reading Movement. On each bookmark was a haiku, inspired by a book in our collection, as well as a QR code that linked to that book.
In 2024, we also collaborated with clothing retailer UNIQLO to design a library showcasing 30 titles at their 51@AMK outlet. In line with the store’s sustainability focus, we selected books that spanned environmental, wellness and lifestyle themes, which shoppers could borrow from NLB by scanning the QR codes. As part of UNIQLO’s UTme! collection, we designed eight T-shirts inspired by the love for reading and four Singapore Literature titles, including Sugarbread by Balli Kaur Jaswal and A Bad Girl’s Book of Animals by Wong May.
Keep up with the National Reading Movement here.
9. Borrow-n-Deliver
With LAB25, we wanted to reimagine what our Learning Marketplace could look like, beyond our physical spaces. How could we reach people anywhere and everywhere they were? What if we could offer a delivery service so that our patrons could have items from our collections delivered right to their doorsteps?
We launched Borrow-n-Deliver in 2023, a service that our patrons can use to select up to 4 available items via NLB's e-Catalogue, including books, magazines and audio-visual materials, and have them delivered to their homes for a fee of $8.72 (GST-inclusive). Click here for more details and make your first order today!
10. Curiocity
In 2022, as part of Singapore Storytellers, we decided to showcase more place histories through an initiative called Curiocity. Its earliest iterations included installations created by local artists and were part of the Light to Night Festival and Singapore Night Festival. We also organised Curiocity events such as treasure hunts and refreshed the website to make use of digital storytelling tools to create content that tell interactive and compelling stories about the history of places in Singapore.
We also launched Glue: Curiocity in 2024, because we wanted to try glueing different stories about different Singapore spaces across time into a gamified experience. These were on-site experiences at Jurong Library and Harbourfront Library, with interactive touchscreens that allowed patrons to explore the histories of Jurong and Harbourfront through resources from the National Library and National Archives. Patrons could also take a quiz to generate a personalised itinerary for that neighbourhood.
Check out Curiocity here!
Partner Us
We are eager to explore the many possibilities of LAB with you and would like to invite you to join us as a partner or a volunteer. Working together, we can reimagine our libraries and archives to meet the challenges of the future.