Books, arts collection available online ahead of Central Arts Library opening in 2024
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A 1952 Chappell Grand piano, which has been moved to the National Library Building, is available for public use.
PHOTO: COURTESY OF NATIONAL LIBRARY BOARD
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SINGAPORE – Part of library@esplanade’s collection of books, arts programming and other media
Singapore’s public library dedicated to the performing arts will also start hosting in-person programmes later this month.
These include movie screenings and music programmes, which will be hosted at arts and commercial spaces at the National Library Building.
The Central Arts Library, which will be located at the same building at 100 Victoria Street, is slated to be ready by 2024.
The National Library Board (NLB) said programmes like The Big Picture, a series of monthly movie screenings that aim to highlight interesting titles from the library’s film collection, will be held at the National Library Building.
The movies from the library@esplanade’s collection are also available to loan as DVDs and Blu-ray discs from Sept 15.
The first screening is Disney’s The Road To El Dorado (2000), which will take place on Sept 12 at 6.30pm in the Imagination Room on Level 5.
Music programmes like Jazz For Curious Listeners and Young Musicians Festival will take place at the Level 1 Lobby.
NLB’s chief executive officer Ng Cher Pong said: “We welcome more like-minded partners and volunteers to join us in creating a vibrant Learning Marketplace for people to make new discoveries through reading and learning.”
The Learning Marketplace is an initiative between NLB and other companies to create interactive touchpoints all across Singapore that promote lifelong learning.
Music scores are not currently available, but more details will be announced in the first quarter of 2024, said NLB.
A 1952 Chappell Grand piano has also been moved to the National Library Building, and placed at level 1.
NLB said the piano, which has been repaired and tuned, is available for public use from Friday.
It was formerly at the Victoria Concert Hall as the principal concert grand until 1958, before becoming the rehearsal piano from 1958 to 1983.
The Central Public Library, which closed on June 13, 2022, for a revamp, is scheduled to reopen in January 2024.
It will include upgraded sections for children and adults, as well as new all-ages programme spaces.
Two new food-and-beverage outlets are also slated to open at the National Library Building, including a halal-certified option to replace Hanis, the halal arm of the Han’s Cafe chain, which closed on June 30.
Details regarding the names and opening dates will be released at a later time.
Correction note: NLB has clarified that the piano that has been moved to level 1 of the National Library Building is a 1952 – not 1951 – Chappell Grand.
