Browse and borrow library books at new self-service kiosk at Bukit Batok’s West Mall
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A pilot initiative, Browse-n-Borrow lets users leaf through physical copies of books in addition to browsing them on an electronic catalogue.
ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN
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SINGAPORE – Residents in Bukit Batok who miss their public library, which is closed for upgrading, can now browse up to 750 books at a new self-service kiosk at West Mall before deciding what to borrow.
A pilot initiative launched on June 3, Browse-n-Borrow lets users leaf through physical copies of books, in addition to browsing them on an electronic catalogue.
Alongside the kiosk, on the second storey of West Mall near the escalator, are reservation lockers where library patrons can collect reserved books, while a nearby “wallpaper library” lets users scan QR codes to access curated library resources.
The Bukit Batok Public Library – which is on the third level of the mall – has been undergoing renovations since it closed in December 2023,
Browse-n-Borrow was rolled out following feedback from users about the Book Dispenser, a 24-hour self-checkout book vending machine at Marine Parade Public Library, said the National Library Board’s (NLB) deputy director for planning and development, Mr Winston Tan, 42.
The Book Dispenser lets users view and select books from an electronic catalogue before dispensing them, but some users said not being able to browse a physical copy before borrowing meant that they sometimes ended up borrowing books they were not interested in.
These users said they preferred visiting libraries, where they can physically leaf through books, Mr Tan added.
To “emulate a library experience”, Browse-n-Borrow lets users browse books physically and return them to their shelves if they decide not to borrow them afterwards, he said.
Users select the book they wish to browse or borrow from an electronic catalogue after scanning the QR code on their NLB mobile app or their library card.
The door of the shelf containing the book will swing open, and the user has two minutes to decide. Users will hear a reminder alarm at the one-minute mark, and when two minutes are up.
Once a book is removed from its shelf and the door is closed, it is automatically registered as borrowed. Users can opt not to borrow a book by returning it to its shelf before shutting the door.
As Browse-n-Borrow does not have a book drop, users must return books at libraries.
NLB’s Book Dispenser can hold around 260 physical books and carries titles that are exclusively in English. But Browse-n-Borrow also carries Chinese, Malay and Tamil books.
Once a book is removed from its shelf and the door is closed, it is automatically registered as borrowed.
ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN
Retiree Karen Lee, 68, a Bukit Batok resident who visited the Bukit Batok Public Library with her granddaughter Christine Khoo twice a month before its closure, plans to borrow books from the kiosk. She added that children will be able to use the kiosk easily as they are digitally savvy.
“I think it is very useful because it is very convenient for people to collect books and borrow books,” said Christine, 11.
Housewife Lee Fong Lin, 56, who used to visit the Bukit Batok Public Library every week, said she prefers visiting libraries as they have more variety, but will use the kiosk if she finds a book that suits her reading tastes.
Social worker James Goh, 45, said that elderly users who are “not IT-savvy” might find it difficult to borrow books with Browse-n-Borrow.
He added that although having a book drop at the kiosk would make returning books more convenient, he is certain he will still borrow books from it as it seems easy to use.
