National Library, Singapore

1°17′52″N 103°51′15.2″E

National Library, Singapore
The National Library in Victoria Street, Singapore
Location100 Victoria Street, Singapore 188064, Singapore
TypePublic library
Established1823 (1823)[1]
Branch ofNational Library Board
Other information
DirectorNg Cher Pong, CEO
Lee Seow Hiang, Chairman[2]
Websitewww.nlb.gov.sg
National Library, Singapore
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese國家圖書館
Simplified Chinese国家图书馆
Malay name
MalayPerpustakaan Negara
Tamil name
Tamilதேசிய நூலகம்

The National Library, Singapore is the flagship national library of Singapore. A subsidiary of the National Library Board (NLB), it is located on an 11,304–square metre site in Victoria Street within the Downtown Core. It is the country's largest public library.[3]

The library has regional branches throughout the country such as in Jurong, Tampines and Woodlands as well as affiliations with academic and professional libraries. The branch libraries are open to the general public and consist of circulating libraries. The National Library also consists of research libraries, which are also open to the general public.

History

The National Library traces its history back to 1823 with the establishment of the first national public library as suggested by Stamford Raffles, the founder of modern Singapore. It was renamed the Hullett Memorial Library in 1923, co-located with Singapore's first school, Raffles Institution, at a site now occupied by the Raffles City complex.[4] It moved to a separate Library and Museum Building in 1887 under the name of Raffles Library as part of the Raffles Museum, before moving to the Stamford Road premises in 1960 under the name of the National Library of Singapore where it was opened by Yusof Ishak, the first President of Singapore.

Central Public Library

The Central Public Library serves residents around the Kolam Ayer, Whampoa, Jalan Besar, Kampong Glam and Kreta-Ayer-Kim Seng districts, and houses the world's first green library for kids — "My Tree House". The project, opened in May 2013, is steered by green principles in all facets from design, infrastructure and use of sustainable materials, to collection, services and programming.[5]

On 13 June 2022, the Central Public Library was closed for renovations and expected to reopen by mid of 2023.[6]

Lee Kong Chian Reference Library

Previously known as the National Reference Library, the Lee Kong Chian Reference Library adopted its new name after receiving a S$60 million donation from the Lee Foundation, founded by Dr Lee Kong Chian. It occupies 7 storeys (Levels 7-13) at the National Library Building with a floor area of 14,265 square metres.[7]

Current building

The current building, a 16-storey, two-block development situated in the city's Civic District, replaces the old National Library at Stamford Road, which closed on 31 March 2004.[8]

In May 1999, Swan & Maclaren Architects won the tender to design the new National Library.[9]

In March 2000, Minister for National Development Mah Bow Tan announced that that old National Library will be demolished and a new National Library be built on Victoria Street.

In January 2001, Malaysian architect, Ken Yeang, split from the design team from Swan and Maclaren, resulting Swan and Maclaren losing the design contract.[10] Yeang joined architectural firm T. R. Hamzah & Yeang and the firm took over the design contract for the National Library.[11]

The library moved to its new home on 22 July 2005, and was officially opened on 12 November that year by the then President S. R. Nathan. It is the flagship building of the National Library Board, bringing together the core functions of the old library by incorporating a reference library, known as the Lee Kong Chian Reference Library (simplified Chinese: 李光前参考图书馆; traditional Chinese: 李光前參考圖書館), as well as a public library, the Central Public Library, under one roof.

The building, was designed by T.R. Hamzah & Ken Yeang.[12]

On the highest 16th level rooftop, there is a large closed area designed like a bubble called The Pod, used for functions and events. Although not a public viewing gallery, it has a panoramic 360-degree view of the city core and Marina bay area. The plaza on the ground floor has a cafe and is often used as an exhibition space. There are escalators on every floor, from Basement 3 to level 14th. The basement carpark has 246 lots. A number of old bricks from the old National Library building has been incorporated into the present building.

Sections

The main collections found at each level of the National Library Building include:[13]

  • Level B1 – Central Public Library Collection
  • Level 7 – Business, Science and Technology Collections
  • Level 8 – The Arts and Social Sciences Collections
  • Level 9 – Chinese, Malay and Tamil Collection
  • Level 10 – Donors' Collections, Asian Children's Collection
  • Level 11 – Singapore and Southeast Asian Collection. Microfilms. Maps.
  • Levels 12 and 13 – Rare Materials Collection (limited access, only with permission)
  • Singapore and Asian Collection, Lee Kong Chian Reference Library
    Singapore and Asian Collection, Lee Kong Chian Reference Library
  • Entrance to the National Library
    Entrance to the National Library
  • National Library Building's "The Retreat"
    National Library Building's "The Retreat"

See also

References
Citations
  1. "History of National Library Singapore". nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
  2. "New Chairman and Chief Executive Officer to be appointed to the National Library Board". mci.gov.sg. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
  3. "National Library Board > About > History of National Library Singapore". www.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
  4. "History of National Library Singapore". National Library Board Singapore. Retrieved 17 May 2014.
  5. "National Library Board > About > Central Public Library". www.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
  6. "Central, Marine Parade public libraries to be revamped; alternative services available for patrons". CNA. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  7. "National Library Board > About > Lee Kong Chian Reference Library". www.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
  8. "National Library Board Singapore". Archived from the original on 16 January 2010. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
  9. "Swan and Maclaren to design National Library". Business Times. 22 May 1999. p. 3. Retrieved 8 March 2023 – via NewspaperSG.
  10. "National Library design team splits". The Straits Times. 18 January 2001. p. 3. Retrieved 8 March 2023 – via NewspaperSG.
  11. "Team splits". The New Paper. 18 January 2001. p. 7. Retrieved 8 March 2023 – via NewspaperSG.
  12. Pearson, Clifford A.: "T.R. Hamzah & Yeang applies its trademark bioclimatic design principles to the new National Library in Singapore" in Architectural Record, August 2006
  13. "Accessing Lee Kong Chian Reference Library's Resources". www.nl.sg. Archived from the original on 18 April 2013. Retrieved 14 August 2012.
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