Library Advocacy: The National Library Board of Singapore's Experience

Abstract

The National Library Board (NLB) of Singapore is a centralized library system of some 40 libraries. It comprises one National Library, 23 public libraries and government department libraries including the Parliament Library and Supreme Court Library amongst others. As a publicly funded library system, the NLB has in the past 12 years successfully sought development funding from the government twice. The first was for S$1 billion to build new libraries and upgrade older ones from the period 1996 to 2005. The second was for a further S$100 million to design, build and provide digital library collections and services. This includes setting up knowledge platforms for sharing and collaborations. This article shares some of the learning points from the NLB's experience in negotiating for funds and support from stakeholders. The NLB's ability to convince its stakeholders of its relevance and importance has enabled rapid modernization and implementation of its two proposed roadmaps. The Library continues to serve the people of Singapore effectively in this knowledge age where users are mobile and connected with handheld devices, and always ready to communicate and collaborate with each other.