Library@Chinatown

Today I followed LAS Programmes and Social Committee for a visit to Library@Chinatown.

About Library@Chinatown

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library@chinatown officially opened on 31 Jan 2013, by the Acting Minster for Culture, Community and Youth and Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Communications and Information.

With an total floor area of 1,000 square meters, it is the first themed library on Chinese arts and culture, library@chinatown will offer a curated collection that will cater to both arts and cultural enthusiasts and the general public, who are keen in learning more about Chinese arts and culture.

More info at http://www.nlb.gov.sg/library/images/LibInfo_CNPL.pdf

Date of visit: 04 Apr 2013 (Thur)
Time: 4.00pm to 5.00pm
Meeting point: Outside #04-12, Chinatown Point for attendance taking first.

Program

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4.00pm – Registration with LAS co-ordinator

4.05pm – Guided tour (Estimated an hour including questions and answers)

5pm – End of Event

With the visit and guided tour, I learnt more about the operation of the Library at Chinatown:

* Shelving mostly done by volunteers!

* Programmes are organised by NLB, with volunteer speakers on themes related to Chinese culture and subjects that have some links to the collection

* Only non fiction books for adults in English and Chinese are in the collection. Fiction for adults, is excluded, due to space constraints.

* CD, DVD or any AV media with single volume and single disk is in the collection.  Multiple parts, or multiple disks in one physical unit is hard for circulation control, hence will not be in the collection for the moment. 

* Shelving is in broad call numbers sequence, up to the first 3 digits only.

* Colour coded book labels, discontinued by NLB in late 2012 are  inter-shelved with black and white call numbers labels, adopted by NLB now. 

* All books are acquired and catalogued by NLB, library@chinatown is a circulation point, with a work room of 2 working desks and a pantry area for staff and volunteers.
* All books return via RFID auto scan book drop will be double scanned one at a time to ensure that no mistake occurred in the returning process.

* Officer who is on duties till 9pm will close the library with a passage way created inside the library leading to emergency exit that complied with fire safety requirement.

I visited the library@chinatown a few times, yet, it is not easy to see the way the library is managed. This visit let me see something new and gain some insightful knowledge.

Thanks to LAS Programmes and Social Committee for organising the tour!

Source of information:
Email from las.programmes@gmail.com