I had hoped for glass lifts.... :cry: :(

Look... reading area for New National Library. Looking forward to its 22nd July's opening :)

http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/7057/p10008730xr.jpg

So sharp.... :eek:

New Library will have a Hans cafe as well...

Although I miss the old red brick library..this new jewel is definitely appropriate for this century! And it looks so good at night and can be seen from the Esplanade as well.

Yup. It's very brightly lit at night as compared with the surrounding buildings. :)

http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/4741/p10008721xr.jpg

I like the Indoor Stadium in that pic!

I hope the library might consider going 24 hours..that will be cool :D

New Library will have a Hans cafe as well...

Although I miss the old red brick library..this new jewel is definitely appropriate for this century! And it looks so good at night and can be seen from the Esplanade as well.


really Han's Cafe ??? make me hungry :drool:

sure i go there :D

^

yah. Also heard they are giving free ice-cream.

One of the ST readers wasnt happy about that though, because he fears it will turn the library into a place full of screaming kids :lol:

hope that it will continue to stay lighted for as long as possible during the night and not end up having to cut down on lighting becuz of $$...

hope that it will continue to stay lighted for as long as possible during the night and not end up having to cut down on lighting becuz of $$...

Then what's the purpose of having an energy saving building as promised?

We can have all we want in the building, but inconsiderate local will spoil everything.............long way to go Singapore ! Soon it will turn into a mess....

^
I'm sure the management of the library and most importantly, there will be considerate souls in Singapore that'll make the library work beautifully......:)

@Hya: Nice closeup......:yes:

actually i think singapore should exploit its skyline by being brighter

^

strongly agree, although cost will be a factor.

I've seen cities like Shanghai & HK go to great lengths to not only light up their buildings, but have changing colours and all sorts of amusement park colours :happy:

the light is pretty nice,i like it,:)

so you all are ready for the opening?:)

in SG, cost is very important... so like that lor...

but have changing colours and all sorts of amusement park colours

i dont like that; sg should have a classier look, but still very bright nontheless. its sooo dark now. maybe the STB or URA should foot the bill for the lights - bring in tourists?

whoever foots the bills, I think certain landmark structures and historical pieces should be lighted up.

Have you seen the SG Art Muesum at Bras Basah at night? so hauntingly grand :cool:

another look at the interior of the new library

http://www.pbase.com/image/46141778.jpg

cool library. you didn't zoom in at the bookshelves? Let's see what are the titles. heh.

furnishing looks rather sparse now. would be pepier if there are hanging art pieces.

yah..zooming in on the books?

Dont think I can do that ^^

Although it would be fun to zoom in on the library when there are people using it next time :happy:

The entrance......:D

http://img328.imageshack.us/img328/3696/pic0321415pa.jpg

Saw in today's TV news... there were many people at the opening of NLB.

Saw in today's TV news... there were many people at the opening of NLB.

I'm going tomorrow.....:D

I'm going tomorrow.....:Dme too :D going to take pictures! :D

that's great. I've been very ill this week. Good to see at least some pictures of the new library from our forumers :)

I'm going, next week... :)

22 July 2005

New National Library at Victoria Street opens its doors to public
By Jermyn Chow, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : After shutting its doors for a year, the National Library re-opened its doors to the public on Friday, from its spanking new premises at Victoria Street.

And from the large crowds that formed on Friday morning, it looks set to draw more than just avid readers.

The crowd headed to the shelves and checked out the library's facelift, costing some S$200 million.

And their verdict was positive.

"Very modernised, and very high-tech."

"Very forward, new age kind of building, rather befitting the modern outlook of the average Singaporean."

"The staff knew exactly where I needed to go and what I needed to do, they were good."

"It's convenient..it's pretty centralised and it's air conditioned as well."

"The books are quite new..it's such a good research centre for us."

But for some, new is not always good.

One person commented, "The old building is better... The atmosphere is very different."

Others are looking forward to more action.

"I heard there is an auditorium here, so I expect there are many shows here for us to watch," said one person. - CNA/ms

Copyright © 2005 MCN International Pte Ltd

July 23, 2005
New National Library opens

By Kristina Tom

AFTER three years of piling and drilling, the new National Library building finally opened its doors to the public yesterday morning.

By 9.30am, a crowd of 400 or so - made up of invited guests as well as curious members of the public - thronged its outdoor plaza in Victoria Street.

Speaking at the opening ceremony yesterday, National Library Board (NLB) chairman and permanent secretary of the Public Service Division Lim Soo Hoon, 47, had high hopes for the new landmark.

'The National Library will be a place that never sleeps, and one that promises to be a hive of activity,' she said.

That is literally true, as the public are welcome to mooch about the large, open-air plaza outside its main entrance 24 hours a day.

Those visiting the new library this weekend can, among other things, exchange their book loan receipts for free ice cream, or browse pushcarts manned by student selling such things as craftwork by the physically disabled.

As Ms Lim put it: 'Above all, the new National Library is a place for the people.'

The 58,000 sq m premises - five times larger than its predecessor in Stamford Road - will be declared officially open in November.

Bricks and mortar aside, Ms Lim also launched the revamped NLB Digital Library at www.nlb.gov.sg

For the first time, those surfing it have access to digitised rare documents and 24/7 research tools in one portal.

But can the slick, 16-storey skyscraper win over the hearts of bookworms who still miss the 44-year-old library in Stamford Road? The grand dame was torn down last year to make way for the Singapore Management University.

Said Ms Lim: 'We hope the community will grow to love the new National Library as much as they made the iconic red-brick building in Stamford Road such a part of their lives.'

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

July 24, 2005
Crowds keep library staff busy...busy...busy

IT WAS like tidying up after thousands of guests.

Staff could not work fast enough to cope with the crowds which thronged the spanking new National Library in Victoria Street on its opening weekend.

Every hour, library assistants beavered away to rearrange returned books and comb shelves for displaced books.

'It's like a race against time,' said Mr Daniel Choy, manager of the Central Lending Library. Indeed, a staff member said about 33,000 people visited the Lee Kong Chian Reference Library while 12,500 roamed the Central Lending Library yesterday.

They were there to admire the photo exhibitions, borrow books or simply look around. Hundreds more went just to catch the performances at the plaza.

The $203 million building opened its doors on Friday, boasting a 134,000 item-collection and seven storeys of reference material.

Five times larger than its former Stamford Road facility, the library offers new self-help kiosks, wireless network services and even a climate-controlled room with materials dating back to 1577.

Anticipating the large crowds, eight extra staff members were brought in from other branches and 10 part-timers hired to assist the operations. An extra book checkout booth was also opened in addition to the self-checkout machines.

Despite the crowds, visitors were enjoying themselves as they settled on sofa seats or on the floor, reading with family or friends.

'I have been waiting for a long time for this library to open because I live in this area,' said Ms Rohini Shenoy, 25, who visits the Jurong and Tampines libraries. 'I hope I don't start coming every day.'

Cassandra Chew

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

Ang Mo Kio and Clementi seems to look very nice in the future according to the urban exhibition at the NLB.....:yes:

taken specially for Shao ye :lol: ;) :)

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/4722/dscn20310dm.jpg

wow...can even see the sinks and the mirrors! :eek:

why specially for me? since its specially for me, i would like to say thanks...lol... but really can see clearly into it! no privacy! haha... by the way whats that blue thing on the left side?

dunno leh. Childcare Centre? Maybe, teacher will bring the kids out for a walk on the roof... hehe... enough of my nonsense... good night. :)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v730/jonathantay/Picture022.jpg

^^looks nice