Food for thought at food courts
Singapore, 30 March 2022 - NLB partners BreadTalk Group to expand reading and learning network
Your next cup of "kopi" can come with extra shots of knowledge too. From 31 March 2022, more people can access the National Library Board’s (NLB) rich resources of content and knowledge in eateries around Singapore through NLB's partnership with homegrown Food & Beverage company BreadTalk Group.
Simply make a purchase of drinks at any of the selected Food Republic and Food Junction outlets or of any item at the selected Toast Box or BreadTalk outlets, to qualify for a free mini-book keychain that will lead you to NLB's resources. You can look forward to books covering topics from DIY food ideas – fermentation for beginners, sourdough-making and growing your own microgreens – to resources tracing the rich, cultural history of food in Singapore.
This is part of NLB's LAB25 (Libraries and Archives Blueprint 2025) vision to build a Learning Marketplace with nodes across Singapore that bring libraries and their array of content to patrons regardless of where they are.
The nodes at food courts and eateries under the BreadTalk Group will roll out in two phases as follows:
a) From 31 March: Gachapon machines will be set up in BreadTalk Group’s Food Republic and Food Junction outlets at popular malls such as NEX, Century Square, 313@somerset and Westgate, and at the BreadTalk IHQ in Tai Seng (#1). Gachapon machines are vending machines that typically dispense collectible toys for a fee. Patrons can collect a token at the drink stall’s cashier after purchasing their drinks at these food courts. With it, they can redeem a free mini-book keychain which carries a QR code that delivers four eBooks related to food to them. There is no minimum spend required for these limited redemptions.
--------------------------------------------------------
#1 Patrons at BreadTalk IHQ can also redeem the keychains when they purchase any items from BreadTalk and Toast Box.
b) From 25 April: There will be 3D, life-like installations of dining tables at the various food courts under the BreadTalk Group. These tables will display well-loved local and international dishes aligned with the theme of the respective food courts. Each installation will carry a QR code directing patrons to a food-related eResource. On weekends, patrons will also have a chance to redeem free local food-themed bookmarks at the installations.
NLB Chief Executive Officer, Mr Ng Cher Pong, said: "Food and reading are pleasurable pursuits for many, and we are happy to be able to partner BreadTalk Group to offer that. Patrons at these selected food courts can now easily access our rich resources of books, magazines, photos, and other items, to nourish both body and mind. These nodes will add on to the vibrancy of our Learning Marketplace as envisioned in our LAB25 plan, and allow us to be a constant companion to our patrons to read and learn wherever they are."
Mr Frankie Quek, BreadTalk Group ASEAN Country Head, said: "The sharing of food has always been a part of our collective Singaporean experience; a powerful conversation-starter and a tool for bonding. This partnership with NLB is a natural extension of that experience, promoting the joy of reading and learning over our shared loved for food. It has always been BreadTalk Group's vision for our F&B spaces to serve as a hub for the community, and NLB’s nodes provide an experiential avenue to engage our customers and excite their senses even further."
Please refer to the Annex for the location schedule, redemption mechanism, and the list of eResources patrons can explore via these nodes.
Launched in October 2021, NLB's nodes extend the library experience beyond its physical walls, bringing NLB’s collections to new customers in novel ways. The nodes have been well received by the public with over 460,000 visitors to date. More nodes will pop up through-out this year, to reach our patrons at other everyday spaces such as parks and even office pantries or lounges. More details will be shared when ready.
Learn more about LAB25 at https://go.gov.sg/nlb-lab25 and the first iteration of LAB25 nodes in shopping malls at https://go.gov.sg/nlb-lab25-malls.
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 in 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
LOCATIONS AND TIMELINE FOR NODES