MCI Response to PQ on Book Exchange Corner in Public Libraries

Parliament Sitting on 14 February 2023

QUESTION FOR WRITTEN ANSWER

9. Dr Tan Wu Meng: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information (a) which public libraries currently have a book exchange corner; and (b) for libraries located within shopping malls that do not have a book exchange corner, whether the National Library Board has studied the feasibility of extending the book exchange corner to these libraries.

Answer:

1. Book exchange corners are currently found in nine public libraries, spread out around the different parts of Singapore. They are self-managed community spaces set up within the National Library Board’s (NLB) premises, as an ancillary service to enable pre-loved books to find a new home.

2. These book exchange corners are in:
   a. Ang Mo Kio Public Library
   b.  Bedok Public Library
   c. Bishan Public Library
   d.  Geylang East Public Library
   e. Jurong Regional Library
   f.  Jurong West Public Library
   g.  Queenstown Public Library
   h. Toa Payoh Public Library, and
   i. Woodlands Regional Library.

3. For public libraries located within shopping malls, NLB has less flexibility to support book exchange corners due to space constraints and the need to share common areas with other co-located tenants.

4. The NLB is committed to supporting community reading spaces and will continue to look at ways to do so. For example, NLB recently rolled out Nodes at Parks, which saw book exchange corners being set up in popular green spaces across Singapore, with an ongoing one at Pasir Ris Park till the end of February 2023. NLB has also worked with partners to set up reading corners in community spaces such as selected Community Centres, Senior Activity Centres and Family Service Centres.