Central Public Library and Marine Parade Public Library will undergo revamps

Singapore, 5 April 2022 – The Central Public Library and Marine Parade Public Library will undergo revamps starting later this year as part of ongoing efforts to systematically rejuvenate our libraries to better serve our patrons. During the revamps, current patrons to those libraries can look forward to trying out some new services that will enable them to continue with their reading, discovery, and learning. These services will be in addition to the extensive range of digital resources such as eBooks, eMagazines and eNewspapers that patrons can access through the NLB Mobile app.

These improvements are part of National Library Board’s (NLB) LAB25 (Libraries and Archives Blueprint 2025) role of building a robust Learning Marketplace for our patrons to read and learn with the library.

NLB Chief Executive Officer, Mr Ng Cher Pong, said: "We refresh our libraries to cater to the evolving learning and reading needs of our patrons. With each library revamp, we push out new services to bring out the joy of learning. Even during the temporary closure, we will continue to support the residents’ reading and learning needs. Our LAB25 plan will guide the refresh of our libraries in Marine Parade and Central, and this will involve the community and partners, in reimaging how we can discover and learn together at our libraries."

 

Central Public Library Revamp (from 13 June 2022 to first half of 2023)
The Central Public Library will be closed from 13 June 2022, and is expected to reopen in the first half of 2023. Located along Victoria Street, this is the library’s first full-fledge revamp since it opened in November 2005. Replacement services that visitors to the library can look forward to during the revamp are:

a.   Launch of "Grab-n-Go" pilot – Patrons will be the first to try out this new service where they simply grab a book or books of their choice, and their loan will be automatically recorded when they go past the gantry. They will have a pick of about 5,000 English, Chinese, Malay, and Tamil adult titles at the Grab-n-Go library located at the Study Lounge on Level 5 of the National Library Building.  Grab-n-Go will be available to the public from 18 May, at 9am-9pm. More details in Annex A.

b.   Book Reservations and Bookdrops – Patrons can continue to pick up their reserved items through the reservation lockers (basement 1) and return their books through the 24-hour bookdrop facility (level 1) at the National Library Building.

c.   Libraries Nearby – Patrons are also encouraged to visit other libraries located around Central Public Library, including Toa Payoh Public Library, library@harbourfront and Geylang East Public Library.

 

Marine Parade Public Library Revamp (from 9 May 2022 to 2025) 
The Marine Parade Public Library will be closed from 9 May 2022 as part of a broader rejuvenation plan of the Marine Parade Community Building, within which the library is located. This major renovation of the Library and Community Building presents an opportunity to reimagine the spaces and services when the facilities reopen in 2025, barring any changes. The library opened in its current location in May 2000, and has been serving residents in Marine Parade, Mountbatten, Katong, Joo Chiat, and Siglap. It underwent a short two-month refurbishment in March 2013. Replacement services that visitors to the library can look forward to during the revamp are:

a. Book Dispenser – From May 2022, NLB will be setting up a 24-hr Book Dispenser outside FairPrice Finest at 6 Marine Parade Central, where the old Marine Parade Community Library used to be located from 1978 to 2000. Patrons can browse and borrow physical books, pick up reserved items, magazines, and audio-visual materials. Patrons can also use the interactive screen to browse, borrow, and download eBooks for reading on their own devices with the Libby app. More details on the Book Dispenser in Annex B.

Book Dispenser

NLB’s Book Dispenser

b. Reading Corner – Marine Parade Public Library will be donating 1,200 pre-loved books to People's Association to set up a reading corner at Marine Terrace Walk Residents' Committees. Patrons may continue to borrow books over the weekend and return them the following week.

c. MOLLY – Patrons can continue to borrow and return books from MOLLY buses which will be visiting two venues at the following timeslots:

  • Open space near Block 35 Marine Cres Ville (Marine Crescent Ville RC) Every first Sunday of the month (except 1 May 2022) from 1 to 4pm
  • Open carpark near Block 53 Marine Terrace (Marine Terrace Haven RC) Every 2nd Sunday of the month (except 10 July 2022) from 9am to 12pm

d. Libraries Nearby – During the revamp of the Marine Parade library, patrons can visit other libraries in the east namely at Geylang East Public Library, Bedok Public Library, and Tampines Regional Library.

 
Other Ways To Access NLB’s Resources 
NLB’s eResources
– Library-goers can also access our collections via the NLB Mobile app. Thousands of books, periodicals, and other publications can be searched, reserved and borrowed via the App, which can be downloaded from the Google Play or Apple's App store.

The Little Book Box – Parents can subscribe to this delivery service for children, where specially chosen books will be delivered monthly to their homes ($10.80 a month GST-inclusive) or a nearby locker ($8.64 a month GST-inclusive). For more details, visit www.nlb.gov.sg.

 

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About National Library Board
The National Library Board (NLB) nurtures Readers for Life, Learning Communities and a Knowledgeable Nation by promoting reading, learning and history through its network of 27 public libraries, the National Library and the National Archives of Singapore. NLB also forges strategic partnerships that encourage awareness, appreciation and greater discovery of Singapore’s history through its rich collections on Singapore and the region.

NLB achieves excellence through innovation, focusing on citizen engagement and co-creation, resource and digital innovation. This creates learning opportunities, greater access to library resources, services and archival collections, as well as a continual development of innovative library spaces. Established on 1 September 1995 as a statutory board, NLB is under the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI).

For more information, please visit the NLB website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.

 

ANNEX A

1. Using the Grab-n-Go
Patrons will first scan a valid NRIC/ FIN/ MID or eCard at the gantry to enter the Study Lounge, at Level 5 of the National Library Building. They need not be NLB members to enter the space.

If a patron wishes to borrow any books, they can proceed to the gantry at the exit with the book(s) of their choice. The gantry uses Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) Radio Frequency Identification to enable the detection and quick check-out of multiple items. The gantry will detect the book(s) and prompt the patron to scan their NRIC/ FIN/ MID or eCard in order to check out the books. Patrons will only be able to check the books out if they have a valid NLB membership, have no outstanding fines, and have available quota to borrow books (i.e. they did not max out their loan quota already).

The gantry will open once the patron clicks the screen to confirm the items loaned to them. They can simply walk through the gantry with the books thereafter. If no books are detected at gantry, the flap of the gantry will open and the patron can exit.

 

ANNEX B
 
2.    Using the Book Dispenser
The Book Dispenser can hold 352 books at any one time (88 slots dedicated to reserved items and 264 remaining slots for physical books which can be borrowed. Patrons can borrow and collect reserved books from the Book Dispenser using their NLB Mobile app or NLB library membership cards.

The collection and information functions on the book dispenser’s interactive screen can be accessed by all and there is an instructional panel to guide patrons on navigating the screen.

A. Browsing and borrowing curated books and eBooks

  • Borrow popular English books on the spot, much like at a physical library
    The Book Dispenser contains a selection of physical English language books chosen from NLB’s popular collections. Patrons can reserve Chinese, Malay and Tamil titles, and collect them at the book dispenser. The books will cater to patrons of all ages and will be replenished daily, so patrons can access fresh and up-to-date materials.

    The loan quota, renewal privileges, and loan periods for materials borrowed from the Book Dispenser are the same as those from our other public libraries.
    Patrons may return their borrowed materials at any public library and those looking to renew their materials may do so with the NLB Mobile app, or at any book borrowing station or the reservation lockers at the public libraries.
  • Browse, borrow and download eBooks to read offline
    Patrons can use the Book Dispenser’s interactive screen to browse, borrow and download eBooks for offline access using the Libby app.

B.  Collect reserved books and materials 
The Book Dispenser serves as an access point for patrons to collect their reserved books, magazines and audio-visual materials. Prior to collecting their reserved item(s), patrons can pay their fee(s) via http://www.nlb.gov.sg/myLibrary/account/payonline, through the NLB Mobile app, or at any of our public library eKiosks or reservation lockers using Cash Card, EZ-Link or NETS.