Securing the future of Singapore's documentary and published heritage for posterity.
The National Library, Singapore is the official custodian of Singapore's published and documentary heritage. As part of the National Library Board’s LAB25 (Libraries and Archives Blueprint 2025), we are committed to an ongoing effort to collect, preserve, and make accessible content on Singapore, in its various formats.
To preserve our National and Rare collections for posterity, the National Library takes appropriate measures to protect the collections against risks such as insect infestation, exposure to pollutants and effects of changes in temperature, relative humidity, and light
To minimise handling of preservation copies from the National Library’s Legal Deposit collection, materials can only be retrieved for on-site consultation at the Lee Kong Chian Reference Library when there are no other loan or reference copies available in the NLB’s catalogue. Library users are also encouraged to view the digitised copies where available to minimise use and handling of the collection.
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the significance of technology and inspired greater interest in digital content. With the volume of digital materials growing exponentially, the National Library strives to preserve our collections for the long term, and to build on our role as an enduring source of knowledge on Singapore.
Besides reformatting our collections through digitisation to preserve them for future generations, the National Library also hopes to provide the public with access to these materials. Currently, our digital collections are available to the public through:
You can also gain useful tips on how you can ensure that your digital materials can be accessed in the future through the following resources.
As the National Library moves forward on our digital preservation journey and strive to keep our rich collections preserved, we aim to foster a greater appreciation for Singapore’s history and culture for all.