Singapore, 14 November 2025 — NLB, in partnership with seven different malls and social enterprises, invites everyone to discover more than 3,000 pre-loved books at new Sit-n-Read Nodes around Singapore. Open to everyone, the Sit-n-Read Nodes are self-service spaces featuring a regularly updated pre-loved collection, designed to promote reading. The pre-loved books can be taken home without borrowing, but everyone is encouraged to bring the books back too, so others can have a chance to read it as well.
Each Node will be open for a few months to a year, depending on the location. The initiative is also expected to be found in more locations over time. The current Sit-n-Read Nodes can be found in the following locations:
For a start, each Node will feature about 400 books comprising a mix of fiction and non-fiction titles for both children and adults. Titles in Chinese, Malay and Tamil are available at selected Nodes including AMK Hub, SAFRA Punggol, SAFRA Yishun, The Centrepoint and The Star Vista. The Node at The Caffeine Experience features books for adults to cater to the location’s audience of working adults. In total, there are more than 3,000 pre-loved books, which are generally older editions of titles from NLB’s collections.
Patrons can also access eResources at the Sit-n-Read Nodes at AMK Hub, Margaret Market, SAFRA Punggol, SAFRA Yishun, The Centrepoint and The Star Vista. This includes discovering more eBooks through the eReads screens displaying a curated list of eBooks. MagNode, a physical display standee, also offers an array of eMagazines and eNewspapers. By scanning the QR codes on the eReads screens and the MagNodes, patrons can access a rich digital collection of books, magazines and newspapers which they can read anywhere on the go.
Each Node also offers cosy reading corners for patrons to sit and read. As part of NLB’s sustainability efforts, some of the furnishings at the Nodes are repurposed from the libraries and past NLB events. Patrons can read the books without having to borrow. Once finished, they are encouraged to return the books to the Nodes so more patrons can enjoy the collection as well.
The Sit-n-Read Nodes have been opening progressively since August 2025 and have welcomed more than 25,000 visitors so far. They are the latest development in NLB’s Nodes strategy, first rolled out in 2021 to bring reading and discovery opportunities even closer to more people. The Nodes are a key building block of NLB’s LAB (Libraries and Archives Blueprint) vision, which seeks to build a network of accessible reading spaces across Singapore. Through these Nodes, NLB aims to integrate storytelling into everyday spaces, and invites everyone, from avid bookworms to emerging readers, to grow their love for reading.
NLB’s Chief Executive Officer, Ms Melissa-May Tam, said: “Over the past few years, our Nodes have been bringing our resources closer to where people are, encouraging everyone to make reading a part of their lives. We are encouraged by the response so far, including from our various venue partners who have opened up their spaces for reading and learning opportunities. With Sit-n-Read Nodes, we also aim to give our pre-loved books a second life while fostering a culture of lifelong reading within the community.”
More details about future Sit-n-Read Nodes will be shared when ready. Learn more about the Sit-n-Read Nodes at https://www.nlb.gov.sg/main/visit-us/public-libraries-singapore/nodes.
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About NLB
NLB nurtures Readers for Life, Learning Communities and a Knowledgeable Nation by promoting reading, learning and history through its network of 28 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 Digital Development and Information (MDDI).
For more information, please visit the NLB website, and NLB’s Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube channels.
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