SINGAPORE, 28 November 2015 – National Library Board (NLB) reopens its Pasir Ris Public Library today, the first mall library to dedicate a space for teens and allowing the space to be managed by teens.
The library integrates digital content and physical spaces, promoting knowledge sharing for teenage digital natives in a place where they can call their own. This Teens’ Mezzanine stand-alone floor is managed by youth volunteers from the Inspiring Readers Society, a group made up of reading ambassadors aged 13 to 19. The Society curates book displays and leads programmes targeted at teens, bringing community collaboration literally to a higher level.
The Teens’ Mezzanine is designed for teens to explore, connect and interact, both physically and digitally. It will host book trailers, which are promotional videos for books, produced by NLB. Housed in the enhanced book tree, teens can also make book recommendations on the same screen, enabling peer-to-peer sharing and networking.
The library was redesigned with the residents of Pasir Ris in mind. During the library’s conceptualisation, Meet-the-Customer sessions and focus group discussions were held to seek views from the residents on the library’s focus and design.
“Our public libraries in Singapore have been evolving and improving to serve the changing needs of the community. The revamped Pasir Ris Public Library has created a space for teens and introduced new digital initiatives for the convenience of all library users. It will be a role model for all libraries in Singapore,” said Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister for Communications and Information.
“The Pasir Ris Public Library is in many ways, built by the community, for the community. We wanted a library which caters to the needs of the residents of Pasir Ris and neigbouring estates, with spaces that will inspire reading and learning,” said Mrs Elaine Ng, Chief Executive Officer, National Library Board.
While the enhanced library targets the teenagers, it is also meant as a versatile space for visitors of all ages. For those who are looking to connect with their favourite books, there is a Quiet Reading Lounge with individual nooks and a Reading Terrace with windows overlooking Pasir Ris Park. It provides users with a serene space reminiscent of reading by the park.
Children are not left out. The Early Literacy Collection for junior readers aged 0 to 6 features the first full front-facing collection where children can browse books by their covers. Together with specially-designed low seating and tactile furniture at the Children’s Deck, the library seeks to encourage reading as a family activity.
Pasir Ris Public Library also showcases technological innovations that enhance library experiences for both readers and staff. For instance, the ReadNext screen serves up title recommendations based on the user’s profile and physical titles available for loan in the library, enabling an intuitive digital experience.
The library also pilots several initiatives to aid senior staff with manual tasks, such as the improved AutoSorter, and the Shelf-Reading Robot.
The library will be opened to the public daily from 11am to 9pm except on Public Holidays. More information on the library can be found at www.nlb.gov.sg and the library’s programmes are detailed on http://www.nlb.gov.sg/golibrary/.