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hen we say public library we normally imagine a place of solid wooden tables, chairs and book racks, where the atmosphere is heavy with a certain mark of bookishness and scholarly erudition, with silence as old and thick as the silence of literature itself.

But when Singapore says public library, it means something entirely different; it means an interactive playground, a place of lightness and games equipped with modern facilities and digital events, with a catchy and colorful interior design, whether it be in its carpets, lamp designs, or furniture placements.

The Serangoon Public Library (SRPL) has promised visitors and residents of the north east region of Singapore a “dynamic library experience” since its opening on March 11. Located next to the landscaped roof terrace, or “Sky Garden”, of Nex, the biggest mall in Northeast Singapore, SRPL looks more like an IKEA store than a library, based on more a spirit of commercialism than a spirit of erudition; but after all, it is designed to inspire an aura of fun and playfulness rather than that of bookishness and study usually associated with a library in the orthodox sense.

The first public library in Singapore to have a dedicated area for gaming, SRPL aims to promote learning and a reading culture by tapping into the educational effects of games. The games featured in this area demonstrate significant educational content or learning value. Apart from housing interactive game stations, SRPL also offers an extensive collection of game-related titles to enhance the learning and discovery process for novice and seasoned gamers alike. SRPL has also partnered with gaming entities such as the Singapore Cybersports and Online Gaming Association and DigiPen Institute of Technology, to organize programs and workshops related to gaming.

Located at the heart of a major transportation node, the library offers a wide selection of quick and easy reads such as comics, graphic novels and magazines which are prominently displayed to make it easy for users to pick up a book on the go.

National Library Board (NLB)’s chairman and Singapore’s Ministry of Education’s second permanent secretary Yeoh Chee Yan said: “The Serangoon Public Library is the result of a close collaboration with the community. In planning this new library, we worked closely with users, residents and various community groups, seeking views and suggestions to create a social learning space that promotes learning and reading. NLB will continue to enhance our service offerings to remain relevant, accessible and convenient to our users.”

With a floor area of 1,635 square meters, SRPL has a startup collection of approximately 150,000 items, which include books, magazines and audio-visual materials in the four official languages. These include 70,000 volumes of fiction and non-fiction books for children and 80,000 volumes for adults and young people. The library will also carry over 400 local and international magazine titles and a selection of local newspapers in the four official languages.

To celebrate the opening of SRPL, an exhibition titled: Serangoon: A place like no other, will be on display at the library. This exhibition, still running until Aug. 31, showcases the heritage of the Serangoon area, as well as winning entries of the recently held People, Places & Recollections photo contest, where the community was invited to share photographs of the Serangoon area. SRPL has also partnered with the National Heritage Board (NHB) to feature two exhibitions on “Food” and “Spice” targeted at children and young people, to create awareness and educate on the heritage of Singapore’s street food and spice trade.

The library has also teamed up with community and grassroots organizations to organize thematic programs that engage both the young and old through interactive learning. Library users can look forward to programs on heritage and green living as well as perennial favorites such as storytelling sessions for children. For more information on upcoming programs at SRPL,
visit NLB’s Go Library website at http://golibrary.nlb.gov.sg/.