Future Libraries - National Library Board

Singapore turns 48 this year!
Have you been to the National Day Parade before? What are your memories of the parade?
Share your memories with us at www.singaporememory.sg!
August 2013
http://golibrary.nlb.gov.sg
Future
Libraries
infinite possibilities
Photo source: PictureSG
Visit http://pictures.nl.sg for old images of Singapore!
ISSN 1793-5431 (Print)
ISSN 2010-0027 (Online)
arts
p.
read
p.
business
p.
wellness
p.
other happenings
p.
exhibition
p.
calendar listings
p.
book review
p.
nl presents
p.
04
p.
07
15
09
15
16
Food Recipes For
Diabetics
Join us at this seminar
where you will be introduced
to a variety of food that can
help you reduce your blood
sugar levels. You will also
learn delicious easy-to-cook
dishes.
17
18
20
Dear Readers,
August is going to be an extremely exciting month. Apart from the many programmes at our
libraries, Singapore will be hosting the International Federation of Library Associations and
Institutions (IFLA) World Library & Information Congress (WLIC) 2013 for the very first time.
This leading professional event for the international library and information services sector will
welcome over 2,500 people from more than 120 countries to our sunny island!
The presence of IFLA in Singapore has also allowed us to organise a series of IFLA Public
Talks especially for you between 17th August – 21st August. Some highlights include gaining
tips from Getting Kids to Read in this Busy World to coax a reluctant reader and Now You See
It: The Science of Attention and the Future of Learning that opens our minds to the possibility
of increasing the ability to focus for an extended time; Accessibility: Hi Tech for Access
for the chance to experience one of the latest technological advancements that will make
means of reading more convenient and accessible to those affected by physical or cognitive
disabilities.
Reading is an experience into the unknown, an opportunity to connect with others beyond
our physical boundaries. Literacy and reading are essential at every stage of our lives. Being
able to host IFLA is a milestone for libraries in Singapore and this opportunity could not
have been possible without the support of library-goers in Singapore. Thank you for placing
Singapore’s libraries on the international map through your love of books and reading.
31
p.
17
Yang Menulis/They
Who Write
Check out this exhibition
featuring manuscripts and
lithographs from NLB’s Rare
Material Collection.
To our Muslim friends, “Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri” and to all, “Happy National Day!”
Yours,
Elaine Ng
Chair, IFLA WLIC 2013 National Committee
CEO, National Library Board
Cover Design : Provided by National Library Board
Design : Artnexus Design Pte Ltd
AUGUST 2013 // golibrary.nlb.gov.sg
AUGUST 2013 // golibrary.nlb.gov.sg
p. 5
An intellectual says a simple thing in a hard way. An
artist says a hard thing in a simple way.
- Charles Bukowski
by Vaishnavi Nathan
No longer being confined to nostalgia, the Lindy Hop is a phenomenon of the 20s that’s here
to stay! Lennart Westerlund, the founding member of the only Lindy Hop professional troupe
in the world, The Harlem Hot Shots (Sweden) made a special stopover to host the readers of
Woodlands Regional Library to an interactive workshop of American dance and music.
Through vibrant dance demonstrations of the Charleston, Big Apple and Lindy Hop, readers
were introduced to its historical and musical influences. During this session, readers also
harnessed the basic movements and swagger of the revolutionary – Lindy Hop.
Keep a look out for more international dance workshops in the upcoming months under the ‘Art
in Motion’ dance series presented by ‘Fill Yourself with the Arts’!
10
SAT
Drop it, Pop it, Lindy Hop it!
Esplanade Presents: An
insight to the World of
Peranakan (Majolica) Tiles
4.00 pm – 5.00 pm
Open Stage, library@esplanade
Come join Victor Lim as he introduces us to the world of Peranakan (Majolica) tiles. He will take us on
a brief historical journey, sharing tile applications found in Peranakan homes as well as showcasing
the different types of tiles made by manufacturers of that era.
Recommended titles:
Let’s Dance
Author
Publisher
Call Number
Pozo, Cal
New York : Hatherleigh Press, c2007
English 793.3 POZ – [REC]
This book enables you to pick up various dance styles like the swing, salsa
and waltz with its quick and easy basic dance steps! The accompanying DVD
also gives you a rundown on the different methods and angles for that smooth
delivery!
SUN
Readers having a go at lindy hopping!
11
SAT
10
Esplanade Presents: A
Chinese Compendium:
Stone Carvings
Esplanade Presents:
“Who is the Ang Ku Kueh
Girl?”
5.30 pm – 6.30 pm
Open Stage, library@esplanade
4.00 pm – 5.00 pm
Open Stage, library@esplanade
Intricate craftsmanship and
artistry on stone carvings
can be seen in homes, iconic
buildings and even tombs
around Singapore. We invite
you to listen to Ang Yik Han as
he uncovers stories literally set
in stone that reveal gems from
the past.
Ang Ku Kueh Girl is born out of a
desire to connect self to people
to community. It is one woman’s
personal Project Singapore, set to
embrace more and more people in a
journey of rediscovering. Using local
pastries much loved in Singapore but little known outside our
homeland, Shijia and her team created Ang Ku Kueh Girl and
Friends. Journey with Shijia to uncover how her dream for a
Singapore-themed product went from idea to a manifestation of
local food culture to functional designs.
Impressive Dance Moves (Read me!: Try this at home)
Author
Publisher
Call Number
Labrecque, Ellen
Chicago, Ill. : Raintree, c2013.
English 792.8 LAB
If you want to do the moonwalk, the worm, and other cool dance moves that
will impress your friends – this is the book for you! This collection of dance
moves gives you step-by-step illustrated instructions that’s quick to master!
This programme is part of Esplanade’s National Day Celebrations 2013 festival, themed
“I LIke Singapore...”
AUGUST 2013 // golibrary.nlb.gov.sg
p. 6
p. 7
People do not seem to realise that their opinion of the
world is also a confession of character.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
This programme is part of Esplanade’s National Day Celebrations 2013 festival, themed
“I LIke Singapore...”
sat
31
OOOM Open Mike Sessions
5.00 pm – 7.00 pm
Open Stage, library@esplanade
OOOM is Singapore’s first social open mike. Initially an acronym for “Originals Only Open Mike”,
OOOM now welcomes performances of not only original songs, but also of covers and even poetry.
It is a platform for celebrating creativity, enjoying the arts, and encouraging community bonding and
peace-building through the universal language of music. OOOM will commemorate special days like
the United Nations “International Day Of Families” and celebrate the good work of organisations in the
social and humanitarian space. Anyone can sing and recite poetry at OOOM. Performance slots are
open for registration at the venue half an hour before the session.
Singapore 2013 titles! This basic
introduction to short story writing is
organised in conjunction with the Insight:
Under One Sky Competition. Participants
are strongly encouraged to submit
the short stories produced during the
workshop for the competition. For more
information, please visit
www.insight-competition.blogspot.com.
This programme is open to 40
participants aged 13 and above. Please
register at library eKiosks or website
http://golibrary.nlb.gov.sg. Should the
programme be fully registered and you
would like to be placed on the waiting
list, please email your name and contact
number to readsingapore@nlb.gov.sg.
14 28
24
––
31
AUG
Hone your writing skills with this
workshop inspired by the Read!
JUN
Mentored by ACT 3 Theatrics, young authors
gathered together to write their very own
original Singapore stories that will be brought
alive with verve by child storytellers as we
celebrate National Day at Esplanade.
10.00 am – 1.00 pm
Programme Zone, Woodlands Regional
Library
Insight: Under One Sky Competition
in collaboration with Frontier CC
Youth Executive Committee
24 June - 31 August
Participants are invited to submit their individual
interpretations of, or responses to, a Read!
Singapore 2013 short story title, in the form of
a picture-essay, prose or poetry, for a chance
to have their work exhibited or published
online. The top 3 winners will be awarded
with cash prizes. Please visit
www.insight-competition.blogspot.com
to register.
15
THU
3.00 pm – 3.30 pm & 5.00 pm – 5.30 pm
Dance Village, library@esplanade
Insight: Under One Sky
Creative Writing workshop
WED
Starting with the founding of Singapore in
1819, this presentation will take you through
major periods of map-making in Singapore’s
history until the present day. Representative
and significant maps from each period will be
highlighted.
SAT
Esplanade Presents: “An Island
on the Tip” by ACT 3 Theatrics –
Original Singapore stories Written
and Told by our Young
03
WED
Esplanade Presents: Mapping
Singapore: A Potted History
5.30 pm – 6.30 pm
Open Stage, library@esplanade
SUN
SAT
10 11
SUN
11
FUNdaMENTALs reading club
Malay in Minutes!
10.00 am – 11.30 am
Amazon Room, Woodlands Regional Library
6.30 pm – 7.30 pm
Activity Room, Geylang East Public Library
Learn how to improve your language
through a poignant book and make new
friends along this way. This book club aims
to encourage the confident use of English
among adults in their day–to–day usage.
Would you like to converse in Malay with
your friends and neighbours? Malay in
Minutes! is a bookclub for adults whereby
simple Malay books are used as learning
tools to assist participants converse in Malay.
Pre-registration can be done via email (ooom.sg@gmail.com). OOOM will regularly invite Featured
Artistes to perform a short set to inspire budding singer-songwriters and performers. More details about
OOOM can be found at www.ooom.sg.
AUGUST 2013 // golibrary.nlb.gov.sg
AUGUST 2013 // golibrary.nlb.gov.sg
p. 8
p. 9
If you live your life for the approval of others you will die by their rejection.
- P. Rick Warren
28
Book Lovers’ Club
Heartlands Book Club
3.00 pm – 6.00 pm
Multipurpose Room, Central Public Library
5.00 pm – 6.30 pm
Activity Room, Bukit Batok Public Library
Life & Debt
For singles, this monthly book club focus on
relationships and inspirational stories. A different
book is discussed for each session.
In August, we discuss Strindberg’s play “Miss
Julia”. Strindberg’s drama focuses on the
downfall of the aristocratic Miss Julie, a misfit in
her society. Julie rebels against the restrictions
placed on her as a woman and as a member of
the upper-class. From the beginning of the play,
her behavior is shown to alienate her peer class
and shock the servants. She displays a blatant
disregard for class and gender conventions.
THU
29
Seniors Reading Club
5.00 pm – 6.00 pm
Bugis Room, Central Public Library
Despite the name, this club to open to all adult
readers! The club currently meets on a monthly
basis to share the common joy of reading. Join
us for an enjoyable hour of lively discussion. For
the month of August, we’ll be discussing “The
Thorn Birds” by Colleen McCollough (Call No.:
English MAC).
For more information, please contact Wan Ni at
wan_ni_lo@nlb.gov.sg.
AUGUST 2013 // golibrary.nlb.gov.sg
31
The IngREADients Book Club
3.00 pm – 5.00 pm
Activity Room, Geylang East Public Library
What comes to mind when you think of a dish
that represents Singapore? Is it the famous
Rojak, which symbolises our multi-racial
country? Or is it that sweet ice kachang that
everyone loves when the sunny island gets
too hot? This month, we’ll be looking at “The
Handover” by Yong Shu Hoong from the
“Bridges” compilation, a publication of NLB’s
own READ! Singapore. In a country where good
food is always just around the corner, it never
occurs to us to learn how to cook our favourite
dishes, until it is too late. What happens when
our “favourite hawker” is “no longer in business”?
Yong Shu Hoong shows us what happens when
we take our food, and our family, for granted,
in this short story. So join us this time as we
embark in a local culinary reminiscence!
12.30 pm – 1.30 pm
Changi/Simei Room, Tampines Regional Library
A talk series brought by DP Credit Bureau
You are concerned over how you are managing your finances and credit over time and have fallen
into debt. You need to know how you can recover and renegotiate without getting into bankruptcy. You
would like to seek help and assistance to get your money and life back on track.
UNDERSTANDING CREDIT & DEBT
• How does one fall into debt?
• What should you do when you are already in debt?
• What should you do if you find that you are spiralling out of control?
• Who can you turn to?
• What does bankruptcy mean?
• How can you recover from bankruptcy?
IMPORTANCE OF CREDIT REPORT (DP Credit Bureau)
• Maintaining your reputation collateral – credit report
• How to manage and improve on your personal credit behaviour over time
The programme is for free admission however registration is required. Please register at library
eKiosks or website http://golibrary.nlb.gov.sg. Light refreshment will be provided.
31
sat
For registration, please email name and contact
number to shirley_lim@nlb.gov.sg
SAT
SAT
WED
30
FRI
24
Life-Wise
1.00 pm – 2.00 pm
Changi/Simei Room, Tampines Regional Library
Want to connect better with your colleagues? Master the elusive art of work-life balance? Inject new
meaning and value into your work? Learn how you can manage your time, your career, and even your
life at our monthly book club meetings where career experts and life coaches will share tips from both
personal experience and books. Life-wise is open to both current and prospective employees. The
programme is for free admission however registration is required. Please register at library eKiosks or
website http://golibrary.nlb.gov.sg.
AUGUST 2013 // golibrary.nlb.gov.sg
p. 15
When writing the story of your life, don’t let anyone else hold the pen.
- Harley Davidson
sat
10
Effective (Acupuncture Points) for Good Health
2.00 pm– 4.00 pm
Programme Zone, library@chinatown
Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese medical procedure that
works by restoring the normal flow of energy through the
body. Sign up for this workshop to hear on “health effective”
acupuncture points and self–massaging techniques.
sat
17
Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy
2.00 pm – 3.00 pm
Programme Zone, Ang Mo Kio Public Library
Diabetic peripheral neuropathy includes a group of symptoms of the limbs caused by nerve
damage due to diabetes. Such patients may experience abnormal sensations of hands and feet
(such as numbness or sharp pains), muscle weakness and balancing problems etc. On top of diet
control, find out how Traditional Chinese Medicine can help in the relief and prevention of these
symptoms through selected herbs and acupoints.
sat
31
sat
31
Food recipes for diabetics
Phytotherapy Approach To
Treating And Preventing
Children’s Ailments
2.00 pm – 3.00 pm
Programme Zone, Ang Mo Kio Public Library
Diabetes is a very common chronic disease and
approximately 11.3% of the population in Singapore
has diabetes. Besides using medication for treatment,
lifestyle management is also very important for
diabetes, and controlling the diet plays an essential
role in lifestyle management. For diabetic patients,
good lifestyle management can help to control and
delay the aggravation of the condition. For healthy
people, it can help to prevent diabetes.
This programme will briefly introduce a variety of
food, which can help to reduce blood sugar and also
delicious, healthy and easy-to-cook dishes that can be
prepared.
2.00 pm – 4.00 pm
Programme Zone, Marine Parade Public
Library
In this workshop, Sebastian Liew, a
qualified and registered Medical Herbalist,
will share with you how naturopathic
phytotherapy can be used to treat children
common ailments such as fever, eczema
and allergies to build better immune
health. He will also touch on the use of
phytotherapy for mothers–to–be and
infant care.
The above programmes are for free admission however registration is registration is required via
eKiosks or website http://golibrary.nlb.gov.sg/programme/Wellness.aspx
AUGUST 2013 // golibrary.nlb.gov.sg
p. 16
The most important thing that a father can do for his children
is to love their mother.
- Theodore M. Hesburgh
SAT
24
MON
05
Stargazing in Singapore:
The Summer Triangle
Chinese History and Culture Club
SAT
10
For
Parents
Only
The Parenting Club
11.00 am – 12.30 pm
Activity Room,
Sengkang Public Library
Sengkang Public Library
welcomes Ms. Cecilia Eow,
Programme Facilitator of ‘The
Parenting Club’, to share with
you life–long parenting skills
through interactive group
discussions and sharing of
experiences or play dates. Each
session touches on one to two
chapters of the audio–book titled,
‘Boundaries with Kids: How
Healthy Choices Grow’.
This programme is for free
admission however registration
is still required. Please register at
Library eKiosks or website
http://golibrary.nlb.gov.sg.
AUGUST 2013 // golibrary.nlb.gov.sg
This talk is presented by the Ancient China History Meetup,
focusing on eunuchs of the Ming dynasty and their economic,
political and military power. Studies suggest that the eunuchs
served as a counter-balancing power to the powerful clans in
the ruling house. What other reasons could there be for their
rise? The presentation will be followed by a discussion and
question-and-answer session with the speaker.
25
SUN
Learn how to read simple star
charts and observe various
celestial objects in this monthly
session with Gary Chee. An
experienced amateur astronomer
who has conducted numerous
stargazing sessions, he has
the ability to explain complex
astronomical concepts in simple
terms. Bring your family and
friends and discover the wonders
of the Universe!
3.00 pm – 6.00 pm
Programme Zone, Serangoon Public Library
Game On! - Board Games
2.00 pm – 6.00 pm
Programme Zone, Serangoon Public Library
Never thought you could play games in the library? Now you
can! Join us for an afternoon of board games with gamers
from the Singapore Boardgames Meetup group.
31
SAT
7.30 pm – 8.30 pm
Programme Zone,
Toa Payoh Public Library
The Make Lounge: Make Stuff And Meet
People! - Brooche Making
11.00 am – 12.30 pm
Activity Room, Bukit Merah Public Library
Join us for a fun and exciting session of designing and
creating your own brooch. Style your fashion with one of the
most versatile piece of jewellery. Pin one on your blouse,
sweater, jacket, dress, scarf, hat, or just about anywhere else
for a little extra jazz. See you there!
This programme is for free admission to 25 participants with a
loan receipt of any 8 items.
p. 17
Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is
something inside you that is greater than any obstacle.
-Christian D. Larson
Antique Majolica Tiles used in
Peranakan Society Presented by:
Aster by Kyra Pte Ltd
1–11 August, Glass Showcase, library@esplanade
If you appreciate the beauty of Peranakan
(Majolica) Tiles, come visit this unique exhibition
at library@esplanade. Aster by Kyra recovers
original Peranakan tiles from 70-80’s buildings
and restores them. These tiles adorn walls and
furniture; many of which feature exquisite motifs
of Geometric and abstract designs, animals,
birds and flowers commonly found in Peranakan
homes & shophouses.
This exhibition is part of Esplanade’s National
Day Celebrations 2013 festival which runs from
7 – 11 August (Wed – Sun). This year’s theme is
“I Like Singapore…” and from the simple phrase
“I Like Singapore…” Esplanade invites you,
this August, to share all that you love about our
homeland. “I Like Singapore…” is about your
wishes, hopes, memories, your favourite food,
our safe garden city... Or you can simply say I
LIKE SINGAPORE!
Yang Menulis / They Who Write
12 July – 25 August, Woodlands Regional Library
With the advent of modern printing technology,
Singapore emerged as an important centre for
Malay publishing in the 19th and 20th centuries.
In particular, 1917 was regarded as a watershed
moment as the Nusantara experienced a boom
in the production of Malay texts ranging from
newspapers to commercially printed books.
“They Who Write” examines the invisible role of
the scribe (penyalin) and the process of copyingby-hand as the Malay publishing industry shifted
towards mass production through the use of
printing presses.
A joint project by the National Library Board
(NLB) and Malay Heritage Centre (MHC), this
exhibition features manuscripts and lithographs
from NLB’s Rare Material Collection, a virtual
library as well as a selection of manuscripts
and lithographs from NLB’s Rare Materials
Collection.
Montage 2013 Photography
Exhibition
22 July – 4 August, Choa Chu Kang Public Library
Photographers constantly struggle to find ways
to express their self identity through their works,
evolving and transforming themselves to break
creative barriers. Although photography has
always been seen as a vehicle of storage and
preservation of memories in time and space, it
is seldom recognised for its important role as
an agent of change in the world. This exhibition
by the NUS Photography Society explores the
theme of Metamorphoses and aims to celebrate
all the positive changes photography has caused
in people’s lives.
Crossing Cultures
27 August – 22 September,
Bukit Merah Public Library
The Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM) and the
Peranakan Museum are delighted to take you on
a journey through Asia. For thousands of years,
the cultures of Asia have traded, interacted,
and exchanged ideas among themselves
and with the wider world. Explore art in our
interactive installation and learn how cultures
connect through highlights of our current special
exhibition, Devotion and Desire, which focuses
on the artistic results of these contacts.
Details of objects from Devotion and Desire.
AUGUST 2013 // golibrary.nlb.gov.sg
p. 18
SAT
p. 19
03
Insight: Under One Sky
Creative Writing workshop
SUN
11
SAT
17
Esplande Presents: “An
Island on the Tip” by ACT
3 Theatrics – Original
Singapore stories Written and
Told by our Young
Financial Planning
Begins Now
3.00 pm – 3.30 pm
Dance Village, library@esplanade
Diabetic Peripheral
Neuropathy
Stargazing in Singapore:
The Summer Triangle
Esplanade Presents: “Who is
the Ang Ku Kueh Girl?”
7.30 pm – 8.30 pm
Programme Zone, Toa Payoh
Public Library
4.00 pm - 5.00 pm
Open Stage, library@esplanade
2.00 pm – 3.00 pm
Programme Zone, Ang Mo Kio
Public Library
10.00 am – 1.00 pm
Programme Zone, Woodlands
Regional Library
MON
SAT
05
10
The Parenting Club
11.00 am – 12.30 pm
Activity Room, Sengkang Public
Library
Esplande Presents:
“An Island on the Tip”
by ACT 3 Theatrics – Original
Singapore stories Written and
Told by our Young
3.00 pm – 3.30 pm
Dance Village, library@esplanade
Esplanade Presents:
An insight to the World of
Peranakan (Majolica) Tiles
4.00 pm – 5.00 pm
Open Stage, library@esplande
Esplande Presents:
“An Island on the Tip”
by ACT 3 Theatrics – Original
Singapore stories Written and
Told by our Young
5.00 pm – 5.30 pm
Dance Village, library@esplanade
Esplanade Presents:
A Chinese Compedium:
Stone Carvings
5.30 pm – 6.30 pm
Open Stage, library@esplande
Effective (Acupuncture
Points) for Good Health
Esplanade Presents: Mapping
Singapore: A Potted History
5.30 pm – 6.30 pm
Open Stage, library@esplanade
Esplande Presents: “An
Island on the Tip” by ACT
3 Theatrics – Original
Singapore stories Written and
Told by our Young
5.00 pm – 5.30 pm
Dance Village, library@esplanade
TUE
13
Making Sense of Your Money
12.30 pm – 1.30 pm
Programme Zone, Jurong West
Public Library
WED
14
FUNdaMENTALs reading club
10.00 am – 11.30 am
Amazon Room, Woodlands
Regional Library
THU
15
Malay in Minutes!
6.30 pm – 7.30 pm
Activity Room, Geylang East
Public Library
11.00 am – 1.00 pm
Programme Zone, Jurong West
Public Library
TUE
20
Are you Borrowing Too Much?
12.30 pm – 1.30 pm
Programme Zone, Jurong West
Public Library
THU
22
Kickstart the Tracing
of Your Roots
7.30 pm – 9.00 pm
Possibility Room, Level 5, National
Library Building
sat
24
Do I Need Every Type
of Insurance?
11.00 am – 1.00 pm
Programme Zone, Jurong West
Public Library
Chinese History and
Culture Club
3.00 pm – 6.00 pm
Programme Zone, Serangoon
Public Library
Book Lovers’ Club
3.00 pm – 6.00 pm
Multipurpose Room, Central
Public Library
World Heritage:
A Responsibility or
Endorsement?
3.00 pm – 5.30 pm
Possibility Room, Level 5,
National Library Building
SUN
25
FRI
30
Game On! Board Games
Heartlands Book Club
2.00 pm – 6.00 pm
Programme Zone, Serangoon
Public Library
5.00 pm – 6.30 pm
Activity Room, Bukit Batok Public
Library
WED
28
FUNdaMENTALs reading club
10.00 am – 11.30 am
Amazon Room, Woodlands
Regional Library
Life & Debt
12.30 pm – 1.30 pm
Changi/Simei Room, Tampines
Regional Library
THU
29
Seniors Reading Club
5.00 pm – 6.00 pm
Bugis Room, Central Public
Library
SAT
31
The Make Lounge: Make
Stuff and Meet People!
Brooche Making
11.00 am – 12.30 pm
Activity Room, Bukit Merah
Public Library
Phytotheraphy Approach
to Treating and Preventing
Children’s Ailments
2.00 pm – 4.00 pm
Programme Zone, Marine Parade
Public Library
The IngREADients Book Club
3.00 pm – 5.00 pm
Activity Room, Geylang East
Public Library
OOOM Open Mike Sessions
5.00 pm – 7.00 pm
Open Stage, library@esplande
Life–Wise
1.00 pm – 2.00 pm
Changi/Simei Room, Tampines
Regional Library
Food recipies for diabetics
2.00 pm – 3.00 pm
Programme Zone, Ang Mo Kio
Public Library
exhibitions
9 January – 30 September
Campaign City: Life in Posters
Level 11, National Library Building
24 June – 31 August
Insight: Under One Sky
Competition in collaboration
with Frontier CC Youth Executive
Committee
12 July – 25 August
Yang Menulis / They Who Write
Woodlands Regional Library
22 July – 4 August
Montage 2013 Photography
Exhibition
Choa Chu Kang Public Library
25 July – 31 August
Parting Glances: Singapore’s
Evolving Spaces
Promenade, Level 7, National
Library Building
26 July 2013 – 16 February 2014
Roots: Tracing Family Histories
National Library Gallery, Level 10,
National Library Building
1–11 August
Antique Majolica Tiles used in
Peranakan Society
Glass Showcase, library@esplanade
6 – 31 August
A Collection of Our Shared
Memories – A Comics Exhibition
Promenade, Level 9, National
Library Building
1 – 31 August
Princely Treasures from the
House of Liechtenstein –
Outreach Exhibition
Promenade, Level 8, National
Library Building
7 August – 13 October
Hands: Gift of a Generation
The Plaza, National Library Building
27 August – 22 September
Crossing Cultures
Bukit Merah Public Library
Ongoing
From Books to Bytes:
The Story of the National Library
Promenade, Level 5, National
Library Building
Ongoing
The Donors Gallery Lee Kong Chian Reference
Library, Level 10, National Library
Building
Ongoing
Singapore Literary Pioneers
Promenade, Level 11, National
Library Building
2.00 pm – 4.00 pm
Programme Zone, library@chinatown
Scan this to visit GO Library
AUGUST 2013 // golibrary.nlb.gov.sg
AUGUST 2013 // golibrary.nlb.gov.sg
The Athena Doctrine: How Women (and the Men
Who Think Like Them) Will Rule the Future
The Humans
Matt Haig 2013 Canongate
John Gerzema, Michael D’Antonio,
2013 Jossey-Bass
The theme of this book is summarized in its subtitle:
“How women (and men who think like them) will rule
the future. The book was also the result of a special
survey (conducted by the authors) of sixty-four
thousand people across thirteen countries – Brazil,
Canada, Chile, China, France, Germany, India,
Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, the United
Kingdom, and the United States of America. It is
not known why more European countries (Finland,
Denmark, Spain, Portugal, and Italy, for example)
were not included. The first purpose was to see how
people perceive the world today; whether they have
an optimistic or pessimistic outlook, and whether
they feel secure or vulnerable. One of the questions
in the survey, “there is too much power in the hands
of large institutions and corporations” attracted
86% agreement among the participants, while
74% disagreed with the proposition, “The world is
becoming more fair”. Overall the authors found that
the people surveyed showed general, big-picture
anxieties.
Going through the massive data, the authors found
that almost “two-thirds of the people around the
world – including the majority of men – feel that the
world would be a better place if men thought more
like women.” That included 79% of Japanese men
and 76% of men in France and Brazil, and 70% of
men in Germany. The belief was shared regardless
of age. With this finding, the authors proceeded to
define and analyse masculine and feminine traits
“in an understandable way and then measure the
public’s attitudes about these traits. Masculine traits
include “rugged, dominant, strong, arrogant, rigid,
aggressive, daring, stubborn, devoted, focused,
and independent”. The full list is found at page 9.
Feminine traits include “free spirited, trustworthy,
dedicated, dependable, reasonable, helpful, giving,
empathetic, encouraging, honest, humble, sensitive,
and imaginative.” Some traits such as “energetic,
simple, traditional, and intelligent” are considered
neutral traits.
Studying those traits and the responses
from the survey, the authors found that
people generally believe that patience is
an important virtue and that they “seek
a leader who can break gridlock through
reason than ideology”. People want
leaders who are long-term thinkers rather
than those “posturing for expediency”.
AUGUST 2013 // golibrary.nlb.gov.sg
Crucially, masculine traits such as
aggression and control are viewed as
less effective than feminine values of
collaboration and sharing credit. More
than 80% indicate that “relationships and
respect for others count more towards
success than money”. The survey also
showed that morality is associated with
loyalty, reason, empathy, and selflessness,
all of which are feminine traits.
Elsewhere, the general position of women still lags
behind men. They are paid an average 80% less
than men and represent just 16.1% in boardrooms.
However, the trend shows a progressive increase
everywhere. The authors attribute this to the “value
of feminine traits in the modern economy”. The key
to success, they summarise (from their sixty-four
thousand respondents), are “Connectedness (an
ability to form and maintain human networks);
Humility (an approach to life that allows for listening,
learning from others, and sharing credit); Candor (a
willingness to speak openly and honestly); Patience
(a recognition that some solutions emerge slowly);
Empathy (a sensitivity to others that promotes
understanding); Trustworthiness (a track record
of strength of character that inspires confidence);
Openness (being receptive to all people and
concepts); Flexibility (the ability to change and
adapt when circumstances require); Vulnerability
(the courage to be human and make mistakes); [and]
Balance (a well-rounded sense of purpose)”.
The authors do not just offer the statistics and their
analyses of the voluminous data. In the larger part of
the book they provide anecdotal stories of success
of women (and men who think like them) from the
countries surveyed. Those stories include the story
of J, a seed farmer in poverty stricken Kenya. J
represents Kenyan farmers who were reluctant to
spend money on good seeds because bad weather
can impoverish them. An “Athena” came along and
founded a system akin to an insurance programme
to help such farmers. That required organizational
skills, imagination, courage, patience, and trust.
Athena is the Goddess of Wisdom, Reason, Purity,
and Civilization.
The Vonnadorians is a superior race that lived in
a distant galaxy. They are fully rational, do not
feel pain, and are immortal. They formed the
view that a recent discovery by a mathematics
professor from Cambridge University was too
advanced for humans to handle. Professor
Andrew Martin, it seems, had found proof of
the Riemann Hypothesis. Riemann died before
he could prove that prime numbers do not
occur at random. Since his death, proving
that hypothesis had become the Holy Grail in
mathematics. Riemann discovered the lock
but not the key. If that key were found, humans
will be able to advance their technology by
quantum leaps. That was what the Vonnadorians
wanted to prevent. Humans were inferior, and
they were ugly; and more importantly, they
were psychologically unprepared for any further
technological advancement.
A Vonnadorian was transported to Earth and he
assumed Professor Martin’s person after killing
the real Professor. His mission did not end there.
He had to kill anyone else who might possibly
know about Professor Martin’s discovery. That
put his wife Isobel; his 15-year-old son Gulliver;
his best friend Arirumadhi; and his rival in
mathematics, Daniel Russell in danger.
In the process of living as Professor Martin, the
alien imposter soon learned that the human race
was more than what Vonnadorians have known
about them. He learnt some incomprehensible
behaviour of humans such as their attitude and
treatment of cows: ‘A cow is an Earth-dwelling
animal, a domesticated and multi-purpose
ungulate, which humans treat as a one-stop
shop for food, liquid refreshment, fertilizer and
designer footwear. The humans farm it and cut
its throat and then cut it up and package it and
refrigerate it and sell it and cook it. By doing this,
apparently they have earned the right to change
its name to beef, which is the monosyllable
furthest away from cow, because the last thing
a human wants to think about when eating cow
is an actual cow.’ He learnt that humans waste a
lot of time with ‘hypothetical stuff’ – ‘I could be
rich, I could be famous, I could get hit by a bus,
I could have been born with fewer moles and
larger breasts’.
However, the alien imposter also learnt a great
deal about other things. He learnt how to be a
husband – something the real Professor Andrew
Martin did not know. He learnt how to be a
father, which the real Professor Andrew knew
little of. He began to understand humans better.
He understood, for example, that humans were
wrong to think that they could not do things
because they ‘don’t have enough time’. He
realized that ‘they did have time. Not eternity,
granted, but they had tomorrow. And the day
after tomorrow. And the day after the day after
tomorrow. In fact I would have had to write “the
day after” thirty thousand times before a final
“tomorrow” in order to illustrate the amount
of time on a human’s hands. Thirty thousand
is the number of days in the life of a person
who lives to the age of 80 years. He learnt
that laughter was the ‘reverberating sound of
a truth hitting a lie”. When he tasted wine he
‘tasted fermentation’. ‘In other words’, he said,
‘I tasted life on Earth. For everything that lives
here ferments, ages, becomes diseased. But
as things make their decline from ripeness they
could taste wonderful’ he realized.
Then he found himself fighting his
fellow Vonnadorians in an effort to
save Isobel, Gulliver, his friends –
and his assumed life as Professor
Andrew Martin. He had given up his
alien powers when he rebelled. How
could he save the humans he had
now come to love? But in losing his
alien powers he found something
more powerful. He found love; and
as he learnt, ‘The point of love was
to help you survive’.
Reviewed by The Alexandrian
Reviewed by The Alexandrian
AUGUST 2013 // golibrary.nlb.gov.sg
p. 25
Everyone is a moon and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody.
- Mark Twain
The
retrospective
art & heritage journey
Join us in August and September as we take you on a nostalgic journey to experience
the artistic treasures of cultures. Paint like the natives, get insights into unique traditions
and walk in the footsteps of a revolutionary.
Paint like the Grandmasters Coffee Talks, Finger Walks
Watercolour Painting
Chinese Ink Painting
Indian Pulli Kolam
Acrylic Painting
Batik Painting
Warli Painting
Chinese Papercutting
Chinese Calligraphy
Chinese Knots
Henna Design
Walk with Us
Love Flows!
Mosques of the Royal Quarters
Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall
Eurasian Heritage Centre
Malay Heritage Centre
Let’s Make Chinese Opera Masks!
Let’s Make Wau!
Lantern Making
Aloha Ukulele
Tajuk: Petua Untuk Sentiasa Ceria
Penulis: Dato’ Dr Hj Mohd Fadzilah Kamsah, Hj Muhammad Zakaria,
Zizi Azlinda Yusof
Penerbit & Tahun Penerbitan: Telaga Biru, 2005
No. Panggilan: 158.1 MOH
Bagaimana untuk sentiasa ceria? Buku ini disesuaikan dari ceramah
pakar motivasi tersohor, Dr Hj Mohd Fadzilah Kamsah. Ia mengandungi
22 petua untuk mengekalkan keceriaan dalam hidup.
Bahagian pertama buku ini membincangkan punca tidak ceria.Di
antaranya ialah sikap bodoh sombong iaitu tidak mahu berbincang
atau meminta pendapat orang lain walaupun ia sebenarnya jahil dalam sesuatu perkara.
Penulis juga menerangkan bahawa hati yang kotor akibat dosa-dosa yang dilakukan,
tidak mengamalkan ilmu , tidak bersyukur dan tidak berdoa juga boleh menyebabkan
seseorang itu tidak ceria.
Bahagian kedua pula memberikan petua- petua untuk sentiasa ceria. Ketenangan hidup
yang abadi dapat dikecapi dengan mematuhi perintah Allah dan sentiasa berdoa untuk
ceria. Hanya Allah sahaja yang dapat mengawal hati insan dan mengabulkanan doa
mereka. Maafkan semua orang sebelum tidur kerana hidup tidak akan bahagia apabila
tersemat dendam dalam hati. Menggembirakan orang lain amat disukai Allah dan
RasulNya. Amatlah penting untuk menerima diri kita seadanya kerana Allah mencipta
manusia dengan penuh hikmah. Hadapi masaalah dengan minda positif dan jadikannya
sebagai batu loncatan untuk maju kehadapan. Demikan antara lain panduan berguna
yang terdapat dalam buku ini.
Terdapat banyak lagi panduan yang dikongsi dalam buku ini. Ia turut dilengkapi dengan
Ilustrasi komik berwarna-warni, gambarajah dan ringkasan fakta yang disusun kemas.
Dengan ini, ianya mudah dan menarik untuk dibaca. Apalagi apabila anda merasa
gundah- gulana, rawatlah diri anda dengan membaca buku ini. Dapatkan panduan
berguna untuk menghilangkan resah dan sentiasa ceria.
Ulasan oleh Noor Aini Mohamed
Art in Motion
Flamenco Traditional Dance
Armenian Folk Dance
Capoeira
These programmes are free admission and require registration. For more details on our programmes, log on to
http://golibrary.nlb.gov.sg/programme/Arts.aspx and like us on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/goarts
AUGUST 2013 // golibrary.nlb.gov.sg
p. 26
p. 27
书名：《很小很实用的上班族食疗方》
作者：韩学江
出版社与年份：北京: 机械工业出版社,2013
索书号：615.854 HXH -[HEA]
您是否有颈肩酸痛、眼睛疲劳、皮肤干燥、腿部抽筋、健忘、为小肚腩而愁肠
百结等问题？如果你长时间面对电脑、活动量少、平时也不爱运动，那你可能
会为这些症状苦恼。
《很小很实用的上班族食疗方》以对话性小故事，叙述上班族常见的身心问
题。每个案例都有专家诊析，以不同的角度为读者讲解病症的来源和推荐各种
简单有效的食疗方。如：咸橄榄芦根汤防治“被感冒”；绿茶可防辐射；燕麦粥有可改善注意力；
甘菊茶能对付“熊猫眼”；陈皮红豆汤有助减“鸭梨臀”等等。每种食疗方包含了材料分量、制作
方法、操作提示和适用类型，供读者参考。加上适当的运动，您会有充沛的精神、健康地面对工
作挑战！
书评：何靜如 (Ho Jing Ru)
书名：《童年往事 : 28位影艺人专访》
= Yesterday, when I was young
作者：何江西
出版社与年份：澳门 : 澳门日报出版社, 2010.
索书号：791.430280922 HJX -[ART]
元华、梅艳芳及米雪等，大家都相当熟悉；或许还看过他们拍的戏。但是对他
们的童年往事是否了解? 年少的经历是否造就了他们日后的性格和成就呢？
本书辑录了28位港澳明星的个人简介和他们的童年往事，如：拍摄电影《功
夫》而获得金像奖最佳男配角的元华，他的功夫是在师傅们的严厉管教和鞭打下而练就的。一代影
后梅艳芳的童年生活“绝不快乐”，还试过逃学和离家出走呢！拍《溏心风暴》的米雪自小就有“
打抱不平”的心态，曾叫哥哥们保护街坊小朋友免受欺负，志愿当女警呢！
本书记录了各明星专访，附上一些从未公开的私人旧照。想知道他们的童年故事和昔日港澳社会风
情，赶紧借阅此书！
书评：陈秀芳（Tan Xiu Fang）
Title: This Will All End in Tears
Author: Joe Ollmann
Publisher: Toronto: Insomniac Press, 2006
Here is a graphic novel that contains five short stories. There are no superheroes
saving the world here, the subject is just good old everyday life. In Big Boned,
you see an ugly overweight girl trying to negotiate for her place in the world. Oh
Deer sees a middle-aged man taking up hunting as a new hobby, only to ironically
find himself dealing with the unexpected guilt of killing a deer. En Retarde, sees
Dennis, a heavy drinker, land himself in a position of responsibility as he takes care of his mentally
handicapped older brother.
Seldom do we see a graphic novel exploring the minutiae and reality of life as this does. It is
authentic and the cynical tones add much caustic humour to the otherwise serious issues explored
here. A mature and sensitive piece of work.
Reviewed by Benedict Yeo
AUGUST 2013 // golibrary.nlb.gov.sg
AUGUST 2013 // golibrary.nlb.gov.sg
p. 28
p. 29
The best years of your life are the ones in which you decide your problems
are your own. You do not blame them on your mother, the ecology, or the
president. You realise that you control your own destiny.
- Albert Ellis
Title: Hoodwinked too!: Hood vs. evil
Publisher: The Weinstein Company and Kanbar Entertainment presentation,
© 2011Call No.: AV 791.4372 HOO – [ART]
A sequel of Hoodwinked, this animated feature brings back the stellar alphabet
crime-fighting agency HEA (which stands for Happily Ever After) consisting
of Red (Little Red Riding Hood), Wolf, Granny and Twitchy. The quartet is the
proverbial motley crew – Red with her individualistic tendencies, Wolf with his
over-analytical mind, Granny with her love for extreme sports, and Twitchy who twitches all
the time. Nonetheless, in this sequel, the investigators have to work together to look into the
mysterious disappearance of two adorable German children, Hansel and Gretel, after they were
last seen visiting a candy house. Mayhem ensues in this town as the HEA battles the evil forces,
who turn out to be the most unexpected parties.
Action-packed and humorous, this animated film is sure to entertain both children and adults
alike.
Reviewed by Lo Wan Ni
Title: Jane’s Journey
Publisher: First Run Features, New York, N.Y., c2011
Call No.: AV English 590.92 JAN
“We have not only stolen this earth from our children but we are still stealing
from them by harming their planet and we have to do something about it now.”
These words from the great primatologist and conservationist, Jane Goodall,
have made many ponder about what we have done and what we are doing to
our planet.
Jane’s journey started in 1960 when she was sent to Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania
to study primates and it continues today with her activist work. Through her work, she stands for
peace, unity and equality. Despite the fact that she is in her 70s, she travels almost 300 days of
the year to spread her message of conservation and animal welfare.
She is described as the rock star of conservation when she was given the Global Explorer’s
Citizen of the world award. Roots and Shoots (a global conservation programme that she
founded) has branches in 120 countries and helps youths identify problems in their communities
and take action to make positive changes for people, animals and the environment.
Inspiring to all of us, giving us hope, Jane’s Journey is a trip worth taking.
Reviewed by Nirmala Narayanasamy
Title: James Bond Gadgets
Produced by A&E Television Network
Publisher: [United States]: New Video, [2012]
Call No.: AV English 609 JAM
“The name’s Bond, James Bond.”
For all avid James Bond fans, or even those who have always wondered how
realistic the many gadgets featured in the Bond films actually are, this documentary, part of
History Channel’s ‘Modern Marvels’ series, features an extensive range of the different spy toys
and gadgets used in the Bond films throughout the decades.
For instance, one of the best known spy gadgets in the Bond films is highlighted - the Bell
Textron Rocket Belt, an invention by Wendell Moore in the late 1950s and early 1960s which
can literally make a person fly. Another real-life invention - the Wallis Autogyro called ‘Little
Nellie’ - which is a smaller quieter helicopter, was flown by its inventor, Ken Wallis, in the 1967
James Bond film You Only Live Twice. Viewers learn that to make ‘Little Nellie’ look more
menacing on film, film-makers outfitted her with real machine guns. Viewers also learn that this
Bond gadget has been used by the British military and police agencies in real life to either spy
on enemy troops or help solve crimes.
Other famous gadgets which the documentary highlights are the ‘Q Boat’, the Aston Martin
DB5, the ‘C.C.S. Truth Phone’, which uses ‘voice stress analysis’ to help the telephone caller
determine if the person he is talking to is lying, and a ‘voice-changer’, which will alter a male or
female voice in fifteen different settings.
The documentary also includes a brief biography of Ian Fleming, author of the James Bond
novels - from his beginnings as a journalist at Reuters, then as a stockbroker, and finally as a
spy in the British naval intelligence which as we all know set the grounds for the famous spy.
Reviewed by Eunice Chen Lizhen
Title: The Good, the Bad and the Godawful: 21st-century Movie Reviews
Author: Kurt Loder
Publisher: New York: Thomas Dunne Books, 2011.
Call no.: 791.4375 LOD -[ART]
Movies are well-loved by many people. In this compilation, the writer has put
together a series of his past movie reviews and also categorized them. If you
enjoy movies, you would be familiar with the movies mentioned. It was fun
noting the title of each chapter such as “Funtime, some comedies worthy of the name” and
“Auteurs, the director as movie star”.
The reviews are clear and the synopsis and opinions are well-balanced without giving away too
much of the movie for readers who have not watched it yet.
This is an ideal read for readers who are keen to catch up on popular movies they may have
missed and wonder if they are worth looking for on DVD.
Reviewed by Reena Kandoth
AUGUST 2013 // golibrary.nlb.gov.sg
AUGUST 2013 // golibrary.nlb.gov.sg
p. 30
Heritage: Singapore/Asian
Title: Eurasian Heritage Cooking
Author: Quentin Pereira
Publisher: Singapore: Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) Private Limited,
2012 Call No. : 641.595957 PER
Never trust a skinny chef? Quentin Pereira begs to differ. ‘The Skinny Chef’
(2010), his MediaCorp television series, featured Eurasian fare. Furthermore,
Quentin’s The Eurasian Restaurant shows that he is, undoubtedly, an expert on Eurasian cuisine.
Before delving into the recipes, this cookbook presents an introduction on the Eurasian heritage.
What defines a Eurasian? Fundamentally, one who is of both European and Asian descent.
They have roots that trace back to the colonial days. In this book, Portuguese, Dutch and British
influences complement Asian dishes to create a hodgepodge of flavours to satisfy the palate!
Try your hand at favourites like Curry Debal (Curry Devil), Acar Timun Serani (cucumber pickle)
and sweet sugee Cake made of semolina and almonds for dessert.
Reviewed by Tabitha Shepherdson
Title: The Universe. The Complete Season Six
Publisher & Published Year: [New York?]: History /A&E Television
Network: Distributed in the U.S. by New Video, c2012.
Call Number: AV English 523.1 UNI
The question of “what’s out there in our universe?” has fascinated mankind since
time immemorial. History Channel’s series The Universe captures the mystery of
our solar system, helping viewers know more about unexplored galaxies.
The 4-part DVD collection is divided into chapters so the viewer can easily
choose the chapter he/she is most interested in. The topics range from understanding the sun
and individual planets to the search and understanding of alien galaxies and scientific theories
such as the Big Bang. The stunning visuals and pin-sharp images will capture and spark one’s
imagination, allowing viewers, for the first time, to gaze at the universe like never before.
It is a series that is great for the whole family as well because the language used is simple
and presented in a way that even young children will understand and be fascinated with what
is out there.
Reviewed by Varshini P
––
OCT
AUG
07 13
Hands: Gift of a Generation
The Plaza, National Library Building
AUGUST 2013 // golibrary.nlb.gov.sg
––
13
OCT
AUG
07
Hands: Gift of a Generation
7 August – 13 October 2013
The Plaza, National Library Building
p. 33
The Singapore Memory Project (SMP) will launch its flagship exhibition titled Hands: Gift of a Generation
in August. This exhibition showcases the memories of Singaporeans, especially those of the first
generation who lived through the country’s nation-building years. Featuring the photographic portraits
of their hands to symbolise their lives and stories, this exhibition depicts the personal and intimate
perspectives that tell the Singapore story.
Visitors to the exhibition can immerse themselves in the multimedia interactive experiences, such as the
Remembering Room. Surrounded by a cloud of memories featured on a digital wall, they can explore the
memories by tapping on each story. Contribute a memory and it will become part of the digital display. These memories can be saved into a special card that visitors can bring back as a keepsake.
There are so many more exciting activities in store, so come down and check it out! This exhibition
promises a novel way to experience memories through imaginative use of digital technology.
For more information, check out www.iremember.sg!
SINGAPORE MEMORY PROJECT:
Children too, can share their memories via the Memory Pool where they can sketch or scribble digitally
on the wall. These memories will appear in a pool like swimming fishes! Children can then “catch” these
memories by scooping them up in their hands.
PRESENTS
AUGUST 2013 // golibrary.nlb.gov.sg
THU
22
Kickstart the Tracing of Your Roots
7.30 pm – 9.00 pm
Possibility Room, Level 5, National Library Building
Get an overview of the various sources of Chinese genealogy as well as family history related
to the Malays and Indians. In general, Chinese genealogical searches have become easier due
to the proliferation of online websites and the increasing number of printed materials. Family
history searches for Malay and Indian sources, on the other hand, still require more systematic
work to make relevant information more accessible to the public.
This talk will explore online and printed sources that exist in various organisations such as
libraries, genealogical societies, clan associations, archives, and other government entities.
Learn about the challenges encountered by those who have tried to trace their ancestral
lineages.
SAT
24
World Heritage: A Responsibility or Endorsement?
3.00 pm – 5.30 pm
Possibility Room, Level 5, National Library Building
The UNESCO World Heritage listing is neither an award nor a form of endorsement; rather, it is a
pledge by local communities and governments to safeguard significant cultural and natural assets
belonging to the world’s community. However, in many cases around the world, UNESCO World
Heritage status has been misunderstood, exploited or abused. The talk will discuss the challenges
in preserving and nurturing UNESCO World Heritage sites, such as the tendency to commoditise
heritage for tourism.
This programme is organised by the Singapore Heritage Society.
Registration is required. Please register at eKiosks available at all libraries or
http://golibrary.nlb.gov.sg/programme/Heritage.aspx.
Demolition
taking place
within the
historic zone
of UNESCO
World Heritage
town of Lijiang,
Yunnan,
China.
Traditional dance,
one of the intangible
cultural heritage of
Lijiang: Performing for
tourists and no longer
dancing for worship or
community celebrations.
Photo Credits: All photos taken by Dahlia Shamsuddin.
AUGUST 2013 // golibrary.nlb.gov.sg
p. 35
Campaign City: Life In Posters
Level 11, National Library Building
This exhibition features 40 of Singapore’s
leading artists, architects and designers
and 10 local art students. The participants,
getting inspiration and information from
the library’s and the national archives
vast collection of campaign posters and
campaign heritage material, created
artworks reflective of their own personal
memories and/or impressions of
Singapore campaigning, past and present.
These artworks are exhibited along with
highlights from the Library’s campaign
poster collection. Selected spaces in the
National Library Building will also be used
in novel ways to convey the rich histories
behind Singapore’s campaigns.
––
16
––
––
Parting Glances: Singapore’s Evolving
Spaces
Princely Treasures from the House
of Liechtenstein – Outreach
Exhibition
A Collection of Our Shared
Memories – A Comics Exhibition
Parting Glances: Singapore’s Evolving Spaces takes
viewers on an evocative visual journey through six
iconic neighbourhoods that are poised on the brink
of change. Whether it is due to redevelopment to
make way for future industry and housing or due
to shifting demographics, these spaces will be
forever altered within the coming decade. As a
growing population and a larger human footprint
are anticipated to emerge in the decades ahead,
the need to immortalise Singapore’s humanity and
heritage through words and photography becomes
paramount.
Promenade, Level 8, National Library Building
A Collection of Our Shared Memories is a comic
exhibition that puts together local comic works
from the past 90 years.
Promenade, Level 7, National Library Building
With an aim to capture and preserve history as it
is unfolding, Parting Glances brings Singapore’s
delicate balancing act of forging the future while
preserving the past to centre stage through these 24
photos and the accompanying launch of a hardcover
book of the same title.
The locales featured in this exhibit include Kampong
Lorong Buangkok, Seletar Camp, Pulau Ubin,
People’s Park, MacPherson, and Queenstown.
These photos were all taken between 2009 and
2013 in a project supported by the National Heritage
Board’s Heritage Industry Incentive Programme
(HI2P). This exhibition is dedicated to those who
generously shared their homes, workplaces and
personal memories about these fascinating – and
gradually disappearing – enclaves in Singapore.
Held in conjunction with the exhibition Princely
Treasures from the House of Liechtenstein,
which showcases over 90 masterpieces from
the exquisite art collection of the Prince of
Liechtenstein, these travelling panels provide
a glimpse of the main exhibition at the National
Museum of Singapore.
A total of nine sections in these panels provide
the background to the Princely Collections that
not only span five centuries but is also known to
be one of the world’s best private art collections
with a focus on important art historical periods
including Renaissance, Baroque, Neoclassical and
Biedermeier. These sections are complemented
with images of key artworks by renowned
European masters such as Raphael, Peter Paul
Rubens and Anthony van Dyck. The final section
explores the art of portraiture and its importance as
a representational mode between the late 19th and
mid 20th century in Singapore’s historical context
through images of colonial administrators and local
elites from the National Collection.
For more information, visit:
www.nationalmuseum.sg
National Library Gallery, Level 10, National Library Building
The family is an important way in which societies structure themselves. This exhibition explores the
quest of four Singaporean families to discover their histories. Digging through documents at home, in
the library and various archives, they have drawn up their family’s genealogies. The stories uncovered
by the families, while unique, resonate with many Singapore families. Aside from family stories, the
exhibition will also feature photographs, recipes, heirlooms and personal objects passed down through
the generations. The exhibition showcases the many resources available worldwide in researching
family roots, including the now-popular DNA testing.
Promenade, Level 9, National Library Building
Local comic works from different generations
allow us to peek into the daily lives of people
throughout the years, which in turn reflect the
greater socio-political background of that time.
Hence, it is evident that newspaper comics
serve as an important tool for documenting
historical changes.
This exhibition presents works from the 1920s
to 2013 and offers visitors a sneak peek into the
long arc of history. In observing the daily lives of
past and present generations through comics,
we hope to look back on another set of our
shared memories.
A Collection of Our Shared Memories is part of
Lian He Zao Bao’s 90th Year Anniversary and is
supported by the Singapore Memory Project.
《我们的另一种集体记忆》- 漫画展
《我们的另一种集体记忆》漫画展展出过去90年
来本地漫画作品的展览。
本次展览以“衣食住行”为主题，通过不同年代的
漫画作品一窥国人当年的生活状态，借此反映出当
时整个政治与社会大环境。90年来刊登在报章上
的各类漫画作品，无疑是记载多年来历史转折的重
要工具。尤其是在识字率偏低的年代，漫画更是向
小市民传达各种信息的最佳管道之一。许多漫画家
通过作品机智地反映出当时的社会现象，往往间接
利用漫画针砭时弊。在日军占领新加坡期间，有些
漫画家甚至是因为作品而丢了性命。
Roots: Tracing Family Histories
AUGUST 2013 // golibrary.nlb.gov.sg
06 31
AUG
01 31
AUG
AUG
––
FEB
26
jul
p. 36
From Sharity Elephant to Singa Lion, Two
is Enough to Clean & Green, campaigns
and their mascots have become an
idiosyncratic and often nostalgic part of
Singapore’s national heritage. No other
country has embraced campaigning as
much as we have. To highlight this slice of
Singapore identity to the local community,
the National Library of Singapore, in
partnership with independent art curator
Alan Oei presents the exhibition Campaign City: Life In Posters.
25 31
jul
––
sep
Jan
09 30
Image credit: Raphael (1483–1520), Portrait of a Man,
c1502/1504, oil on panel © LIECHTENSTEIN. The
Princely Collections, Vaduz–Vienna
所谓“一张图胜过千言万语”，90年来不同漫
画家在作品里描绘的人事物当中，可大略看出当
时的一些时事课题与历史背景。此次展览将展出
1923至2013年的漫画作品，希望带领来访者走
入历史的长廊，通过衣食住行观察我们这一代人
与上一代人的生活方式，回顾我们的另一种集体
记忆。
AUGUST 2013 // golibrary.nlb.gov.sg
p. 37
My past has not defined me, destroyed me, deterred me, or defeated
me, it has only strengthened me. – Steve Maraboli
Ongoing
From Books to Bytes:
The Story of the
National Library
Promenade, Level 5, National
Library Building
p. 38
“From Books to Bytes:
The Story of the National
Library” tells the story of the
National Library of Singapore.
Throughout our history,
the library has been an
integral part of Singapore’s
cultural and social fabric
as well as its residents.
The exhibition traces the
founding, development and
growth of the National Library
of Singapore from 1823 till
present. Learn interesting
snippets of the library’s rich
history and how its function
has evolved with the learning
needs of the nation.
The Donors Gallery
Lee Kong Chian Reference
Library, Level 10, National
Library Building
The Donors Gallery was
set up to display a sample
selection of items donated
to the National Library with
the hope of creating a sense
of rootedness through the
preservation of local heritage
content and fulfilling the
library´s function of being
the national memory and
repository of Singapore
heritage materials in all
formats. It is also hoped that
more Singaporeans will be
encouraged to donate their
heritage collections to the
National Library.
Singapore Literary
Pioneers
Promenade, Level 11, National
Library Building
The gallery displays the
books, letters, calligraphic
works, manuscripts,
photographs and portraits of
Singapore’s literary pioneers.
Some prominent writers
have also donated their
pens, typewriters and literary
awards. In addition, visitors
can appreciate audio and
video recordings of the writers
in two multimedia screens.
AMPL
Ang Mo Kio Public Library
4300 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 6,
S(569842)
BEPL
Bedok Public Library
21 Bedok North Street 1,
S(469659)
BIPL
Bishan Public Library
5 Bishan Place, #01-01,
S(579841)
BBPL
Bukit Batok Public Library
1 Bukit Batok Central Link
West Mall #03-01,
S(658713)
BMPL
Bukit Merah Public Library
3779 Jalan Bukit Merah,
S(159462)
BPPL
Bukit Panjang Public Library
1 Jelebu Road, Bukit Panjang
Plaza, #04-16/17,
S(677743)
CTPL
Central Public Library
100 Victoria Street, #B1-01,
S(188064)
CSPL
Cheng San Public Library
90 Hougang Avenue 10,
Hougang Mall, #03-11,
S(689812)
CCKPL
Choa Chu Kang Public Library
21 Choa Chu Kang Avenue 4
Lot 1 Shoppers Mall
#04-01/02,
S(689812)
CMPL
Clementi Public Library
3155 Commonwealth Avenue
West #05-13/14/15
The Clementi Mall
S(129588)
EPPL
library@esplanade
8 Raffles Avenue, #03-01,
S(039802)
AUGUST 2013 // golibrary.nlb.gov.sg
CNPL
library@chinatown
Chinatown Point,
133 New Bridge Road
#04-12 Chinatown Point
S(059413)
GEPL
Geylang East Public Library
50 Geylang East Avenue 1,
S(389777)
JRL
Jurong Regional Library
21 Jurong East Central 1,
S(609732)
JWPL
Jurong West Public Library
60 Jurong West Central 3,
S(648346)
MPPL
Marine Parade Public Library
278 Marine Parade Road,
#01-02 Marine Parade
Community Building,
S(449282)
NL Building
National Library Building
100 Victoria Street,
S(188064)
PRPL
Pasir Ris Public Library
1 Pasir Ris Central St. 3,
White Sands, #04-01/06,
S(518457)
QUPL
Queenstown Public Library
53 Margaret Drive,
S(149297)
SBPL
Sembawang Public Library
30 Sembawang Drive
Sun Plaza, #03-01,
S(757713)
SKPL
Sengkang Public Library
1 Sengkang Square
Compass Point, #04-26/27,
S(545078)
SRPL
Serangoon Public Library
23 Serangoon Central
#04-82/83 NEX (Level 4R)
S(556083)
TRL
Tampines Regional Library
31 Tampines Avenue 7,
S(529620)
TPPL
Toa Payoh Public Library
6 Toa Payoh Central,
S(319191)
WRL
Woodlands Regional Library
900 South Woodlands Drive,
Woodlands Civic Centre,
#01-03,
S(730900)
YIPL
Yishun Public Library
930 Yishun Ave 2, Northpoint
Shopping Centre, Level 4,
S(769098)
All Rights Reserved. The National Library Board, Singapore disclaims all
liability and responsibility for any loss caused to any person by any act or
omission due to the material contained herein. No part of this publication
may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any
form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or
otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher, the National
Library Board, Singapore.
Independent advice and opinions expressed by the presenters do not denote
endorsement by National Library Board (NLB), its staff associates and
affiliates. NLB reserves the right to cancel or postpone any programmes
without prior notice. All information is correct at the time of printing. For the
latest updates, please visit http://golibrary.nlb.gov.sg
For enquiries, please call 6332 3255
AUGUST 2013 // golibrary.nlb.gov.sg