06_Central Public Library

LIBRARY DETAILS
CENTRAL PUBLIC LIBRARY

FAST FACTS
• Opening Date: 12 Nov 2005
Re-opening Date: 12 Jan 2024
• Floor Area: 4,131m2
• Collection Size: 200,000
• Target Community: Residents around Kolam Ayer, Whampoa, Jalan Besar, Kampong
Glam, Kreta Ayer-Kim Seng; students from nearby schools; office workers close to the
Central Business District; tourists and visitors to the Bras Basah.Bugis (BBB) arts and
heritage district
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
• Children’s Biodiversity Library by S.E.A. Aquarium
The refreshed children’s section is the first marine biodiversity-themed learning space
for children in a public library in Singapore. Created in partnership with Resorts World
Sentosa (RWS), it focuses on educating children about Sustainability and Biodiversity
through experiential learning. It features a floor-to-ceiling column with coral-like
structures, a marine specimens showcase, digital content from the S.E.A. Aquarium, and
The Submarine (a room exclusively for children’s programmes). There are also
gamification kiosks where children can colour a virtual avatar and earn points for
various actions such as participating in programmes. In line with sustainability, the
Children’s Biodiversity Library by S.E.A. Aquarium repurposed old shelves from the
adult’s section of old Central Public Library as children’s shelves.
o A new regular programme at the children’s library is Magnificent
Mangroves!. Parents and children will have the opportunity to repot the
mangrove saplings in the Courtyard, which will be transplanted to Sentosa’s
mangroves.
• Green Spaces
Central Public Library features the intentional inclusion of green spaces blurring the
lines between the indoors and outdoors. The Memories Corner and Courtyard were
previously closed to the public. The Green Heart is a newly added indoor green wall
with plants that create a soothing, naturalistic environment within the library. Outdoors,
the Courtyard has been transformed into a secluded green sanctuary housing
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mangrove saplings. Meanwhile, the Memories Corner features The Library of Memory
by renowned artist Brian Gothong Tan, a multimedia showcase of the old National
Library at Stamford Road projected onto the wall made from 5,000 red bricks retained
from the building. Four life-size bronze sculptures of children in various reading poses,
created by Chong Fah Cheong, illustrate the idea of being lost in a world of books.
• Singapore Alcove (SG Alcove)
The SG Alcove is a space that celebrates All Things Singapore, allowing patrons to
explore the Singapore Collection — which houses both adults’ and children’s titles —
while enjoying specially curated exhibits on Singapore content, letting visitors discover
Singapore Stories using resources from the National Library and the National Archives.
It anchors the Central Public Library’s focus on Singapore culture, heritage and
literature, reflecting its location in the Bras Basah.Bugis arts and heritage district. The
first exhibition, Lepak Landscapes: Life and Leisure in Singapore, explores stories on
recreational practices in Singapore over time as told through digital storybooks,
artefact displays and interactive elements. From Apr 2024, the Alcove will include the
immersive digital exhibition Book Havens in the Immersive Room as well as AR
interactive touchpoints throughout the library.
Central Public Library hosts a series of literary programmes such as:

• A Bridge to the Classics: Public lectures that introduce and demystify beloved works of
literature by contextualising the classics and connecting them to our lives today.
• Singapore Alcove: A collection of programmes focusing on Singapore heritage and
literature. Some programmes are available in Chinese, Malay, and Tamil.
The library is also home to the following book clubs:

• Book Lovers Club: This bimonthly book club focusses on relationships and inspirational
stories that can be applied to both our professional and private lives.
• Insightful Pages / 新页读书会 (previously 3G Book Club / 第三代读书会): A Chinese book
club that meets once a month to discuss local and international Chinese works.
• Kathaikalam / கதைக்களம் (Tamil Reading Club): The Association of Singapore Tamil
Writers meets monthly to encourage students, youths and the public to engage
with local literary offerings and nurture their creative writing skills. It is conducted in
Tamil.
• Singapore Literature Book Club: A monthly book club that discusses books by both
well-known and emerging Singaporean authors touching on topics close to home.
COLLECTION HIGHLIGHTS
• Singapore Collection: A focal collection at Central Public Library, both adults’ and
children’s fiction and non-fiction titles are integrated into the exhibition at the Singapore
Alcove, allowing patrons to see Singapore through the eyes of literature at the exhibition.
January 12, 2024

• International Collection: The International Collection showcases around 2,000 titles
received by NLB from international partners, made available to the public for lending.
Titles are in the four official languages of Singapore as well as foreign languages.
• Children’s Collection: The library has around 90,600 children’s fiction and non-fiction
titles.
LIBRARY HISTORY
Formerly located at the old National Library at Stamford Road which closed its doors in
2004, the Central Public Library is currently located in the basement of the National
Library Building at Victoria Street. It was officially opened on 12 Nov 2005 by then-
President of Singapore, Mr S R Nathan. During this time, it housed the world’s first
green children’s library, My Tree House. The library closed again in May 2022 for its first
full revamp since its relocation and was officially reopened on 12 Jan 2024 by Minister
for Communications and Information, Mrs Josephine Teo.
As part of efforts to preserve some memories of the former National Library, 5,000 red
bricks from the old building were brought over to construct a wall in Memories Corner,
Central Public Library’s outdoor space previously known as the Bamboo Garden. The
space now features The Library of Memory, a multimedia showcase that pays homage
to the history of the nostalgic library.
INTERESTING FACTS
• Central Public Library is the only fully underground public library in Singapore.
• Central Public Library is designed and developed with green principles in mind,
having energy-efficient and sustainable elements.
• The library features Singapore-themed murals created by local artists, including
adaptations of In Our Time by Lee Xin Li at the entrance and Court of No
Worries and Flight of Fancy by Ah Guo opposite the Memories Corner, as well as
commissioned murals from NAFA students.
• The library is in Singapore’s arts and heritage district, the Bras Basah.Bugis (BBB)
precinct. This puts it in proximity to design schools, the shopping belt of Bugis and
City Hall, the belt of museums, as well as the commercial and cultural hub within the
Central Business District and other nearby tourist areas such as Little India and Fort
Canning. As such, the library has a strong arts and heritage focus, and serves a wide
variety of local and international visitors.
• Central Public Library has been visited by many famous personalities such as the
former US First Lady Laura Bush, the current US First Lady Jill Biden, His Imperial
Majesty, The Emperor of Japan Akihito and the Empress Michiko, the current
King of Bhutan, and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
January 12, 2024

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LIBRARY DETAILS

CENTRAL PUBLIC LIBRARY

January 12, 2024 1

• Singapore Alcove (SG Alcove)

Central Public Library hosts a series of literary programmes such as:

The library is also home to the following book clubs:

January 12, 2024

January 12, 2024

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