2009, and Electronic Visits Rose to About 6 Million, an Increase of 12 Percent from the Previous Year

Message from Chairman and Chief Executive The year in review was a period of significant achievements for the National Library Board (NLB). Book and audiovisual loans registered a new record of close to 31 million, about 11 percent increase from FY2008/2009, and electronic visits rose to about 6 million, an increase of 12 percent from the previous year. The number of electronic retrievals last year was about 48 million, a tremendous 72 percent more than the previous year. The record levels of library use demonstrated the enduring value of our libraries to lifelong learning. Over the past year, while grappling with the challenges of an economic downturn, Singaporeans continued to turn to our libraries as trusted sources of knowledge and information that would help them gain new insights, seize opportunities and achieve their aspirations. On another level, the rising importance of our libraries is heartening proof that our progress towards Library 2010 (L2010) has had a meaningful impact on the lives of Singaporeans in this digital age. L2010 is the strategic roadmap to build a seamless 24/7 library system leveraging diverse digital and physical delivery channels. In the past year, we continued to enhance our collections and expand our patrons’ access to both traditional and digital content. At the same time, we strived to meet the diverse needs of our patrons with a broad range of programmes and service initiatives. Developing and Ensuring Access to Our Collections Good collections and access to them are fundamental to the quality of knowledge that our libraries offer. In the year in review, we continued to enhance and refresh our print, digital and documentary materials through donations, acquisitions and digitisation. Notably, 53 donors contributed over 50,000 items to the National Library Singapore’s (NLS) heritage collection, while acquisition efforts yielded over 110 rare items of significant historical value. As a guardian of the nation’s literary and cultural heritage, we have always ensured the public’s access to our heritage collection through well-curated exhibitions. Two well-received exhibitions were held: ‘S. Rajaratnam: The Singapore Lion’, which told the life story and vision of one of Singapore’s founding fathers, and ‘Vignettes in Time: Singapore Maps and History Through the Centuries’, which provided insights into Singapore’s history through cartographic materials. NLS’s heritage programmes were not confined within library walls. One unique new project, Experience Singapore Literature, took participants on a series of immersive tours to the nooks and crannies of local places featured in poems and stories by Singapore writers. We also launched SG101, a programme covering a broad range of topics related to Singapore, from architecture to the National Anthem, through talks and workshops. Digital Strategies and Milestones Several digital initiatives that would deliver greater access to knowledge and information were also introduced in FY2009/2010. We pursued digitisation rights through strategic alliances with various individuals and organisations. For instance, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed with Dr Ivan Polunin for the digitisation of over 700 film reels and audiotapes documenting the sights and sounds of Singapore and the region from the 1950s to 1970s. A partnership was also struck with the Composers and Authors Society of Singapore (COMPASS) to digitise its music collection for the MusicSG project, which archives locally composed music from the 1940s onwards. NewspaperSG, a digital archive of Singapore and Malayan English newspapers dating back to 1831, was successfully rolled out in January 2010. With the objective to collect, preserve and provide access to newspaper content – a vital source of Singapore and Southeast Asian history – NewspaperSG has received an average of 30,000 visits and 400,000 page views a month since its launch. In the near future, the archive will be enhanced with Chinese and Malay newspaper content. NLB Annual Report FY2009/2010 1 Given its expertise in content digitisation, NLS is well positioned to contribute in the area of digital content management to the Singapore Memory Project. This national project, spearheaded by the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts, will build up a national collection of digital content for preservation and discovery. With the proliferation of information in diverse physical and digital formats, information discovery has become a more complex undertaking. In tandem, we have developed NLB SearchPlus, a sophisticated information discovery engine that enables researchers and information seekers to navigate across all of NLB’s catalogues for library resources in various forms. In our efforts to integrate social media technologies into our service delivery, we broke new ground with the myLibrary application on Facebook. This is the first application in the world to seamlessly integrate library accounts and services with the social networking site. Library members are able to access library resources and services on the Facebook interface while sharing recommendations with their social networks. Encouraging Reading and Social Learning Cultivating the habit and love for reading among Singaporeans remains a core focus of the Public Libraries Singapore (PLS). In recent years, PLS has organised an annual roster of reading campaigns and initiatives targeting different segments of the community. These include READ! Singapore for those 15 years old and above, 10,000 Fathers Reading! for father figures and their children, National kidsREAD programme for children from lower-income families, Read and Reap for primary- to college-level students and ‘Share-A-Story’ Storytelling Club for seniors, adults and teenagers. At the same time, we recognise that reading trends are shifting amid today’s media and technological diversions, and learning needs have to be further segmented and addressed with customised initiatives. One tremendously successful initiative launched last year was Quest, which has made reading and book borrowing appealing to reluctant young readers with the use of collectible cards. A fantasy adventure story is narrated on the back of 60 collectible cards, which can be redeemed through the exchange of library loan receipts. To date, over 70,000 children have read the story of Quest and 1.5 million cards have been redeemed through loans of about 2 million books. Another noteworthy initiative is the Gaming Learning Community, a series of gaming events that has drawn teenagers and their families to the library to play video and board games together and be introduced to knowledge and books related to the games. These learning experiences have helped to break down generational barriers and brought families closer together. They have also reached out to teenagers who might otherwise not be interested in library materials and services, and fostered collaborative learning among like-minded individuals in our library space. Corporate Initiatives and Professional Development During the year, NLB further elevated its operational efficiency with the completion of several corporate initiatives, including the upgrading of the Library Supply Centre (LSC), which has resulted in greater space optimisation and higher logistics efficiency. LSC has also adopted a new cellular manufacturing workflow for greater flexibility and productivity. The Corporate Resource System (CREST), an integrated human resource, finance and administrative enterprise system developed in collaboration with four other statutory boards, was launched in October 2009. The system is expected to help NLB benefit from economies of scale. The passion of our people, their spirit of innovation and uncompromising service standards have consistently driven the organisation towards higher performance. In reciprocation, we have strengthened our professional development initiatives. These include tailored training for our librarians on specific career tracks, and providing them with wider exposure through secondments and overseas attachments. We piloted the Professional Diploma in Library Management and Information Services (Foundation Level) to help entry-level and junior librarians develop the necessary competencies for the librarian profession. Awards NLB and its libraries have been able to serve over 35 million customers a year and yet consistently exceed expectations in the areas of customer service and innovation. We are deeply encouraged by the two major awards we received last year, namely the Service Excellence Award, which is the highest business excellence honour for customer service in Singapore, and the Singapore Innovation Class, which recognises our innovative culture. Another accolade worthy of mention is the Japan Creation Award 2009 (Overseas Division) awarded by the Japan Fashion Association in Tokyo for our innovation in creating Verging All Teens (V.A.T.). V.A.T. is a conducive space at the Jurong Regional Library to engage teenagers in lifelong learning and reading activities. NLB Annual Report FY2009/2010 2 Challenges and Opportunities While technology has opened up more possibilities for information discovery and knowledge acquisition, it also runs the risk of alienating the older generation. We will continue to strike a balance between the needs of a younger, technologically savvy generation and those who prefer traditional content and service delivery platforms. Our libraries are thus continually challenged to deliver services that will meet diverse and evolving needs.

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