Good evening, everyone.
1. Happy to have the opportunity to join you at our annual Volunteers' Appreciation Evening. Many people speak well of our libraries and archives, which would not be possible without all of you.
2. Recently somebody sent me a video interview, where the person, a new citizen, talked about the library system we have in Singapore. He said, when you walk through the corridors of our libraries, one could sense the quality of experience where you could not only see the culture of the place, of the community, but you see the culture of the nation. And it is a culture that tries to keep abreast with knowledge coming from everywhere around the world. From this, he said he can tell that Singapore is a place that not only treasures and works hard to keep our heritage, but is also focused on creating the future. He put in words the profound magic that we create. This magic is not found in the buildings, but in the people who help us serve and bring our services to the communities. And we couldn't have done it without all of you. So once again, a big thanks!
3. From our long-standing programmes to our newer initiatives, your dedication in helping to deliver them to our communities over the years has been integral to the creation, sustenance and continuous success of our programmes and services. Allow me to share some highlights.
a. Two months ago, in September, we celebrated the 20th anniversary of kidsREAD, our nation-wide reading programme where we reach out to children, particularly those from lower income families. We are fortunate to have received the support of more than 29,000 volunteers in kidsREAD over the past 20 years. I spoke to a volunteer earlier who shared with me that in her short time volunteering, she had reached out to roughly 50 children. So, while you may be thinking what difference can a few hours of my time make? Let me reassure you that you can make a tremendous amount of difference. On behalf of NLB, I would like to thank all of you for your passion and dedication.
b. I would also like to thank the volunteers in our physical spaces. Last year, we opened Punggol Regional Library. Thanks to your volunteerism, Punggol Regional Library became our most visited library in 2023, with more than 1.3 million visitors. Thank you to our Punggol volunteers for your role in making this possible.
c. I am happy to share that our volunteering opportunities have continued to evolve and our management team continues to cater our programmes for various skills and interests. I am glad that many of you have embraced newer roles introduced in 2023, such as volunteering at our Archives Conservation Lab, or participating in the Contemporary Collecting Initiative to document Singapore's heritage and culture. The new Central Arts Library will open its doors in December, marking another milestone in NLB's journey to enhancing our arts offerings. With that, there will be new opportunities to volunteer with our programmes, particularly for those who feel a passion for the arts.
4. This evening, I also have the privilege of acknowledging two individuals within our volunteer community who have been recognised by The Silent Heroes Award. Organised by Civilians Association of Singapore, this award recognises individuals who have quietly but profoundly impacted our community.
a. First, Mdm Wong Hien Far, more affectionately known as Jenny, was awarded the “Pioneer of Promise” award. Those who know Jenny would know that she has been a deeply committed volunteer with NLB since 2020. She volunteered not only with one, but two of our libraries, at Bukit Panjang Public Library and Choa Chu Kang Public Library. She is widely recognised by colleagues for her consistency, reliability and versatility to contribute across many different roles. Her extensive knowledge of NLB’s collection and services, coupled with her enthusiasm and willingness to serve, has made her a valued volunteer.
b. Second, Mdm Saman Khan was recognised as a finalist for the "Compassionate Foreigner" award. Saman actively inculcates the love of reading through storytelling narratives and arts and crafts activities for children. Her creative talents culminated in numerous thematic book displays that have been showcased at Tampines Regional Library, where she has volunteered since 2022.
5. The dedication of all our volunteers has inspired NLB management and Board to work harder to recognise your contributions. Earlier this year, we have refreshed our rewards and recognition framework for all our volunteers. You can look forward to new rewards, including special events exclusively just for our volunteers. Some of you may have already had a glimpse of this when you joined us in exclusive guided tours at the newly reopened Central Public Library earlier this year, and also participated in hands-on sessions at the MakeIT makerspace.
6. Come February next year, you can also look forward to even more exciting rewards and privileges.
a. For the first time, NLB will be introducing a digital Rewards Card from the Bronze tier onwards, which is for those who have volunteered with us for at least 51 hours in the previous year. With the rewards card, you will be able to enjoy discounts at the F&B outlets located across our library network.
b. We hope you enjoy the refreshed rewards as our way of saying thank you for your dedication to our libraries.
7. Tonight’s celebration is all about you. A big thanks to all of you, and have a wonderful evening ahead!