Jul 2006

Director's Column

Multi-ethnic Enclaves Around Middle Road: An Examination of Early Urban Settlement in Singapore
Philip Jackson’s Plan of the Town of Singapore (1822) dictated the layout and structure of the town, and also designated special areas for the various ethnic groups that had settled in Singapore.(PDF)

Tongkangs: Hybrid Ships in a Moment of Singapore's Maritime History
The history of the tongkang industry in Singapore began with the arrival of Stamford Raffles in 1819. With the establishment of the island as a trading centre, merchants from around the region and beyond began flocking here. Tongkangs were the chief means of sea transport, carrying men and goods between South China and Nanyang. (PDF)

Beyond Readers and Folktales: Observations About Singapore Children's Literature
Singapore children’s literature has an important role to play within the larger context of children’s literature. Stories that portray Singapore children with their worldview, realities and values capture the identity of the Singapore child and reflect how they redefine themselves in the face of different cultural realities. (PDF)

Sebuah Mercu Tanda IImu
Provides an overview of the Malay Collection at the Lee Kong Chian Reference Library. (PDF)

Fostering an Inventive Spirit in the City-State
“Invention is the first occurrence of an idea for a new product or process, while innovation is the first attempt to carry it out into practice...”. Invention stems from vision, and vision is followed by motivation, which encourages invention. (PDF)

Marching Through the Decades: Singapore on Parade, an Online Exhibition
On 9 August every year, Singaporeans look forward to the National Day Parade to celebrate Singapore’s independence. The “Singapore on Parade” online exhibition aims to recapture the fine moments and grandeur of grand parades held in Singapore from colonial to modern times. (PDF)

News
The “Publishing & Legal Deposit Seminar” held on 3 April 2006; new recipients of the Lee Kong Chian Research Fellowship; the appointment of new Distinguished Readers for the National Library’s Distinguished Readers initiative; the inaugural Executive Management Programme on 10 April 2006; honouring Mr R. Ramachandran, former director of the National Library; visit by Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan to the National Library; and the “Singapore Honours” exhibition at the National Library. (PDF)

SMS Your Enquiry: SMS Reference Service @ the National Library
The SMS Reference Service was launched during the FIND IT campaign on 11 April 2006 to help library users obtain information. (PDF)