NLB partners local furniture companies to reimagine library spaces
Library patrons can enjoy stylish new spaces to read, including for a good cause!
Three homegrown furniture brands have partnered the National Library Board (NLB) to reimagine reading spaces, offering library patrons a new experience to read, and to read for good too.
Community TakeOver opens up library spaces for more partners to showcase their products, services and share their brand stories. Through the facilitation of Enterprise Singapore, NLB collaborated with three homegrown furniture brands, FortyTwo, HomestoLife, and ipse ipsa ipsum to fit out spaces within selected public libraries with sofas, arm-chairs, coffee-tables and other locally-designed furniture for patrons to enjoy. From today, the companies’ furniture will be featured at the following libraries:
- ipse ipsa ipsum at Central Public Library
- FortyTwo at Jurong West Public Library
- HomestoLife at Serangoon Public Library
NLB will also be launching its annual book donation drive, Read for Books, from 1 to 31 July 2024 as part of the National Reading Movement. During this period, for every 10 participants who read for 15 minutes, NLB’s book donors will donate one book or the equivalent to the board’s beneficiaries. Patrons can participate in Read for Books anywhere, including at the office with their colleagues, or even at one of the newly refreshed Community TakeOver spaces. To participate in Read for Books, patrons can register their interest here, read for 15 minutes, snap photos of the session and submit them.
Beneficiaries of Read for Books this year include MINDSG Ltd, and nationwide reading initiative kidsREAD, among others. Members of the public can do their part by simply logging their reading sessions. This year, Bubbly Books, Focus Publishing, Mitsubishi RTM, POPULAR, Read with You, Scholastic Asia, and Singapore Book Publishers Association have come onboard to support the initiative.
NLB’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Ng Cher Pong, said: “We are happy to have FortyTwo, HomestoLife and ipse ipsa ipsum onboard this Community TakeOver. We welcome more partners like them, who share NLB’s vision of reimagining and transforming library spaces for our patrons and the community. We are also glad to launch our annual Read for Books too, and we hope everyone can take a few minutes of their day, be it with friends or colleagues, to read for a good cause, including at one of the Community TakeOver spaces.”
Those interested to be part of the Community TakeOver initiative, to reimagine our libraries and archives, and help share the love of reading and learning with everyone, can register their interest here.
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About National Library Board
The National Library Board (NLB) nurtures Readers for Life, Learning Communities and a Knowledgeable Nation by promoting reading, learning and history through its network of 28 libraries, the National Library and the National Archives of Singapore. NLB also forges strategic partnerships that encourage awareness, appreciation and greater discovery of Singapore's history through its rich collections on Singapore and the region.
NLB achieves excellence through innovation, focusing on citizen engagement and co-creation, resource and digital innovation. This creates learning opportunities, greater access to library resources, services, and archival collections, as well as a continual development of innovative library spaces. Established on 1 September 1995 as a statutory board, NLB is under the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI).
For more information, please visit the NLB website, and NLB’s Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube channels.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Zoey Tan
Weber Shandwick
Tel: +65 9073 6422
E-mail: ztan@webershandwick.com
Hoe I Yune
Weber Shandwick
Tel: +65 9324 2061
E-mail: ihoe@webershandwick.com
Quotes from NLB’s Partners
FortyTwo’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Naveed Lee, said: "At FortyTwo, we’ve been a proud Singaporean company for 17 years, and we’re thrilled to partner with the National Library Board. We share their mission of nurturing a love for learning and heritage, and believe everyone deserves a beautiful space to read and grow.”
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ipse ipsa ipsum’s Founder, Mr Saurabh Mangla, said: “We reimagine the future of design in crafting high-value furniture using innovative ideas that blend emerging technologies with rural community craftsmanship. Our partnership with the National Library Board for the 'Read for Books' campaign propels our commitment to community development, raising awareness for learning and sharing the gift of reading. Our AI-crafted pieces are bold statements of how knowledge elevates furniture design. Just as AI models allow us to explore new horizons, reading opens our mind to imagine greater possibilities.”
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HomesToLife’s General Manager, Ms Celeste Phua, said: “HomesToLife is Singapore’s premium furniture store for timeless and versatile pieces to suit the style of any home. Our collections are customizable to reflect individuals' personality and style. With world-class manufacturing capabilities and attention to detail, we offer iconic and exceptional furniture for everyday life, bringing superior quality to our customers at fair prices. At HomesToLife, from dining and coffee tables to comfortable sofas, you will find a wide range of pieces to match your interiors. Enter and create your living space.
In partnership with the National Library Board (NLB), HomesToLife aims to extend its reach and enhance its brand presence in the community. Partnering with NLB allows us to tap into their extensive network and resources, promoting literacy and lifelong learning. This collaboration enables us to engage with a broader audience, fostering a culture of creativity and inspiration through our meticulously crafted furniture. By aligning with NLB's mission to enrich lives through knowledge, we can support the community in creating spaces that are not only functional but also inspiring and reflective of personal style. This partnership underscores our commitment to quality and education, making HomesToLife a trusted name in home furnishings.”
Annex A — Furniture Set-up at the Libraries
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Libraries |
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Jurong West Public Library, in partnership with FortyTwo
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Central Public Library, in partnership with ipse ipsa ipsum
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Serangoon Public Library, in partnership with HomesToLife |
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Annex B — About Read for Books
Read for Books is a charity book drive to raise awareness and share the gift of reading with the less privileged. From 1 to 31 July 2024, for every 10 people who read for 15 minutes, one book or equivalent will be donated to selected beneficiaries, up to a certain number of books.
Beneficiaries include:
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The WondeRead initiative |
The initiative brings the library closer to children aged 7 – 17 years old from less privileged backgrounds, by providing reading opportunities through free reading materials. The initiative sees NLB working with Social Service Agencies (SSAs), such as charities and family service centres, to promote a love for reading among children. |
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kidsREAD
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The nationwide reading initiative by NLB in partnership with People’s Association, self-help groups, MOE schools and preschools and social service groups aims to promote the love of reading and cultivate good reading habits among young Singaporeans, specifically children aged 4-8 years old from the less privileged families. |
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Ready to READ @ NLB, Starter kit & Programmes for Babies and Toddlers
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This is an initiative by NLB to reach out to parents of children aged 0 to 3 from the low-income families. This initiative provides parents with ready resources to kick-start positive reading habits with their children at home. NLB is collaborating with several organisations such as Early Childhood Development Agency (KidSTART), selected healthcare and preschool centres to provide these reading resources to them. |
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MINDSG Ltd |
MINDSG Ltd has been caring for Persons with Intellectual Disability (PWIDs) and their families since 1962. Grounded in the belief that all PWIDs have innate abilities and talents, MINDSG Ltd is committed to empowering them and enhancing their quality of life, while advocating for greater inclusivity for PWIDs as a nation. Today, MINDSG Ltd is one of the largest charities in Singapore, serving more than 9,000 PWIDs and caregivers every year. With the key focus to expand community-based services, improving the employability of PWIDS, strengthening education, and engendering inclusive community living, MINDSG Ltd offers a holistic range of services and programmes across the PWIDs’ lifespan. These include schools, employment and training development centres, home-based care services and community-based services to cater to the physical, psychological, environmental and social needs of PWIDs and their families. |
For more information, visit https://readingnation.nlb.gov.sg/initiatives/readforbooks/.