It’s been two years of renovation work but Choa Chu Kang Public Library is back and it’s even bigger than ever. It’s NLB’s first sustainability-themed library, and has an extra floor of resources, spaces for kids and adults alike, and even an indoor garden, transforming it into conducive learning environments.
Located right within Lot One Shoppers’ Mall just next to Choa Chu Kang MRT station, here are some of the new and nifty features to look out for on your next visit:
There are more ways to learn than leafing through the pages of a book. This is why the experiential exhibits at the Green Grove, sponsored by CapitaLand Hope Foundation, is highly useful for visitors to pick up new knowledge on environmental awareness.
You’ll see first hand how things like urban farming can solve issues on food security in land scarce Singapore at the Hydroponics Showcase. Using nutrient-rich water instead of soil, edible plants are grown and harvested right within the library.
It’s a doable activity you can try at home too. Urban farming workshops are a regular feature at Choa Chu Kang Public Library. There are sustainability related programmes you can attend also covering topics like global warming and recycling.
And if sustainability is something you’re passionate about, join the library’s eco-warriors competition. There’s up to $500 worth of FairPrice vouchers to be won.
The Hydroponics Showcase is just a gateway to the other environmental educational facets of the Green Grove. There’s the climate action corner, for example, which shares information on the impacts of climate change. Don’t be alarmed by the details, though, as you can also pick up tips and tricks on how to minimise your carbon footprint and save the earth here.
There’s also a Live-Statistics Display that shows weather forecasts in real time, including air quality just in case pollution levels reach unsafe levels. The display includes all sorts of factsheets and trivia on nature as well.
If you need more resources, there are loads of eBook recommendations that you can download immediately to your phone via the NLB Mobile app.
More immersive learning awaits with an Augmented Reality (AR) trail that spans across both floors of the library. For urbanites with little access to the great outdoors, this is your chance to see what nature has to offer right before your eyes with AR.
Whip out your phones to catch demonstrations on rubber tapping or close ups of endangered indigenous species like the sambar deer.
The AR trail will be updated periodically, giving patrons incentives to return to Choa Chua Kang Public Library to broaden their knowledge of natural landscapes and wildlife in Singapore.
Easties and westies have been battling it out over who’s better for the longest time. But both might just lose out to Northwesties in terms of kampung spirit thanks to the library’s Community Wall.
It’s the first of its kind in a public library in Singapore that showcases the Choa Chu Kang neighbourhood from past to present. From its humble beginnings as an agricultural space to the next generation of farming, you’ll see that transformation in photos and stories.
If you’ve got a story to tell about Choa Chu Kang, add it to the wall. Residents are encouraged to contribute their own memories, thoughts and feelings so other visitors can get a glimpse of unique and heartfelt recollections of this storied town.
With indoor gardens, interactive displays and AR content, the newly-upgraded Choa Chu Kang Public Library is more than just a room full of books. It’s become a nucleus of learning in all sorts of ways.
The library’s indoor garden makes for a tranquil place to get some serious reading done
Should you want to spend extra time at Choa Chu Kang Public Library, you can do so by visiting the Study and Multimedia Zones beyond operating hours. Access the areas from 9AM-10PM via the entrance at Level 4. To enter, simply scan your NRIC, library card barcode or use your library e-card together with your TraceTogether app or token.
If you prefer spending time browsing the shelves instead, make sure to visit during opening hours to enjoy the peace and quiet of the newly expanded spaces like the kid-friendly section on Level 5 and the Adults and Teens areas on Level 4.
If the last time you were in a library was to check out books for school holiday reading, it’s time to step back in and experience what libraries can offer.
Address: 21 Choa Chu Kang Avenue 4 #04-01/02 and #05-06, Lot One Shoppers’ Mall, Singapore 689812
Opening hours: 11AM-9PM, Daily (Closed on Eve of P.H. and P.H.)
Extended opening hours (Study and Multimedia Zones only): 9AM-11AM, 9PM-10PM, Daily (Closed on Eve of P.H. and P.H.)
This post was brought to you by the National Library Board.
Photography by Li Haiyang.
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