Release Date : 23 Jun 2011
Singapore, 23 June 2011 – Book lovers can now read on the go with the launch of MobileRead, a free application developed by the National Library Board (NLB) to encourage people to read for this year's READ! Singapore campaign. Launched by Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts at the opening ceremony of READ! Singapore 2011, MobileRead gives iPhone users free access to short stories which have been selected for READ! Singapore this year as well as those from the past six years of the annual campaign.
New initiatives to engage commuters and youths
To further encourage people to read while on the move, NLB has partnered the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) to promote MobileRead as part of today's modern lifestyle. On 1 July, NLB and IDA will host a “Enjoying A Digital Reading Lifestyle” carnival which will also feature a READ! Singapore book display and other reading-related activities.
“Over the years, READ! Singapore has steadily expanded its reach to promote reading to the community and create a vibrant reading culture in Singapore. Next year, we hope to extend its reach beyond adults and teenagers to include children. For this year, we have lined up programmes such as book discussions, creative writing workshops and meet-the-author sessions over the next three months. We hope that these activities will inspire even more people to take up reading as well as stimulate cross-cultural dialogue and interactions within the community,” said Mrs Elaine Ng, Chief Executive Officer, NLB.
Selected works feature Singapore literary talent
With twenty Singaporean authors behind the selected literary works for READ! Singapore 2011, this year's campaign showcases the highest number of Singapore authors since the campaign started in 2005, across the four official languages. All the four selected poems, and half of the sixteen selected novels and short stories, were written by Singaporeans. One of the books, Gone Case by Dave Chua is also the first Singaporean work to be published in a graphic novel version. Of the selected works by overseas authors, three have been made into award-winning films and movies.
The public may borrow the selection of novels for READ! Singapore 2011 from NLB's libraries, or purchase them from MPH bookstores. Audio CDs of selected works will also be available for borrowing. The selected short stories and poems will also be compiled and published into a special READ! Singapore 2011 anthology, which can be borrowed from NLB's libraries.
READ! Singapore 2011 will run from 23 June to 28 September 2011. During this 14-week period, Singaporeans can look forward to a wide range of reading-related programmes and activities held at various locations across Singapore.