NLB introduces new eDevice loan service and silver infocomm hotspots

Speech by Mr Sam Tan, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry Of Foreign Affairs And Ministry Of Culture, Community And Youth And Mayor, Central Singapore District At The 30th Anniversary of Bukit Merah Public Library

Mrs Elaine Ng, Chief Executive Officer of National Library Board 
Ladies and Gentlemen

Good morning to all of you.

1. I am delighted to be with all of you at this morning’s event at the Bukit Merah Public Library.
2. The library has always had a special place in my heart and my life. When I was a little boy, the most fascinating thing in life was to visit libraries. Why was it fascinating? It’s fascinating because there were thousands of books in different shapes, sizes and colours. Apart from candies, these were the next best thing to young kids like me.
3. The texture of books, the smell of the paper, the feel of the pages, all these formed a big part of my childhood memories. But what intrigued we most were the stories in those books which became my fantasies, dreams and imaginations. They also opened up endless possibilities and adventures to a young mind like mine.
4. Reading is attractive & addictive and can be a life-long passion. I started a reading habit when I was at primary 3 or 4, and this habit has continued till today, although these days, I don’t have much time to do personal things such as reading and listening to music. But I still buy books whenever I have a chance to do so. I think I probably have more than 2,000 books now in my house and office. And I really hope to have time to read or re-read some of them one day.
5. To me, the most valuable gift that parents can give their children is the cultivation of the reading habit. Life-long reading is also a process life-long learning and this life-long process improves our knowledge, our thought process, and even our personality.
6. For this reason, I have always been grateful to libraries and librarians, for they have helped in transforming me to what I am today. Some say you are what you eat. I believe that you are also what you read!
7. In that regard, I am also grateful to NLB for its relentless efforts in making books readily available to Singaporeans. Today’s libraries are of course much different and much better than 30 to 40 years ago. Their primary function and mission still remain the same, that is, to provide a key to the treasures of knowledge. Our libraries in Singapore have indeed come a long way. And every generation of Singaporeans will have many stories and tales to tell from the books that they read in our libraries.
8. As a treasured part of the community’s reading and learning journey for the past 30 years, the library holds countless fond and heart-warming memories. Bukit Merah Public Library has endeared itself to many – young and old – especially those living in the Bukit Merah-Henderson-Telok Blangah precinct. Thousands of residents have benefited from the numerous programmes and initiatives organised by the library. I understand that many of these visitors keep coming back to the library even after they have moved out of this area. The difference is, they are now coming back with their children and grandchildren. I was told we even had two weddings held in this very hall.
9. The Bukit Merah Public Library also has a story of its own. It was the first library to have an audio-visual room specially designed for users to listen to music CDs and watch videos. Back then, this was a hugely popular service as it offered users the precious opportunity to enjoy music, classic movies and documentaries. The library also went the extra mile to spread the joy of reading to those who were unable to make regular trips to the library, through its “Drop Everything And Read” initiative, or in short, the DEAR@Community Programme. It brings books and magazines to the doorsteps of the home-bound and physically-challenged in Bukit Merah and the neighbouring areas. This programme is also popular with the childcare centres in the neighbourhood. I would like to strongly encourage the library to share all these wonderful memories with the Singapore Memory Project. This will allow future generations to also fondly look back on such treasured memories.
10. Today, I am pleased to announce another initiative by the library. Visitors to the Bukit Merah Public Library will now be able to borrow iPads to enrich their reading experience. This is the second library to offer the eDevice loan service after it was piloted earlier this year at the Bedok Public Library. The iPads will provide users with access to NLB’s eResources on eBooks, eMagazines, eNewspapers, language resources, a music library and more. The loan service includes an introductory iPad workshop to train users in basic IT skills and the use of the device. This is a useful skill in today’s age where a wealth of information and resources is readily available on mobile devices. With the iPad, and other connected devices like smart phones, you can now explore the latest digital resources from the library in the comfort of your homes and on the go.
11. I am also happy to announce that NLB has introduced the Silver Infocomm hotspots at all the 24 public libraries. This will allow Singaporeans and Permanent Residents aged 50 years and above to enjoy free one-hour access at the multimedia stations every day. They can use this to access NLB’s eResources, surf the Internet and check their e-mails. I was told that seniors can also look forward to getting free thematic reading kits at our libraries for recommended reads on popular interests such as food, health and hobbies. The hotspots and reading kits are part of the NLB’s “Time of Your Life” initiative to develop services for our seniors. I would like to encourage library users to make use of these services. And I hope many will discover new interests and learn useful skills along the way.
12. On this note, I would like to wish staff of Bukit Merah Public Library and its community of users a memorable 30th anniversary and we look forward to many more happy years together. Thank you.