Engaging active citizenry among Singaporeans, young and old, at the Singapore public libraries

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to discuss the strategies NLB has undertaken to encourage people to become active citizens at the public libraries.Design/methodology/approachThe paper covers a brief history of the volunteer movement in NLB, followed by a short discourse on the benefits of having volunteers. This is followed by a discussion on the various strategies taken by NLB for its volunteer management programme. The paper concludes with a discussion on the implications for public libraries on the need to engage and manage volunteers.FindingsThe findings in the paper were: as public institutions, public libraries need to engage members of the public beyond just being library members. At the National Library Board Singapore (NLB), library volunteers are seen as strategic community partners who actively play a part in value‐adding and improving library services to the public. From the volunteer standpoint, being part of the public library network is one way of giving back to the community. From the organizational point of view, having volunteers at the public libraries give NLB additional resources through which it can innovate and channel more information and knowledge seeking services.Practical implicationsThe paper shows that active citizenry is encouraged as part of NLB's Library 2010 blueprint to forge public libraries into social learning spaces. To do this, volunteers are engaged at different levels – both in terms of the time commitment they can give and the tasks they are willing to undertake. This allows for a flexible volunteering scheme for people from all walks of life to contribute back to society, either on a long or short‐term basis, as a regular volunteer or on a project basis. Libraries hoping to engage volunteers may find the strategies outlined in the paper as useful considerations to build their own volunteer management programme.Originality/valueThis paper offers practical strategic considerations to libraries and information resource centers intend on engaging volunteers as part of the resources to fulfill library services to the public.