It’s only been roughly over a month since Punggol Coast Mall officially opened up for business, but it’s slowly becoming a hotspot to dabble in the latest happenings in the North-East. After bringing some much-needed convenience to the residents, students, and corporate folks in the vicinity, you’ve got another reason to swing by, as there’s a new NLB Comics and Games Library pop-up.
It’s a must-visit for bookworms and board game fans alike; from a dedicated corner for rounds of tabletop games to rare, local comics on display, here’s what you can expect.
The NLB Comics and Games Library is a pop-up library set up by the National Library Board (NLB), and it’s located on the ground floor of Punggol Coast Mall at lot #01-140. The library will feature more than 7,000 books spanning multiple genres, so readers of all ages will have no problems finding a new title to put on their reading list.
Much like their previous pop-up libraries, it’s fully unmanned, but do note that it’s not open 24/7. Instead, the NLB Comics and Games Library is open daily, from 10am to 10pm, including on public holidays. We don’t have the exact run dates for the pop-up, but we’ve gotten word that it’ll be up and running for about a year, starting from 30th April 2025.
Like its name suggests, visitors can browse and borrow all sorts of comic-related reads at the NLB Comics and Games Library. They’ve got books for children and adults, Japanese Manga, as well as titles from genres such as game-themed fiction and non-fiction, how-to guide books. There are also local works to peruse, and even a dedicated board games corner.
Since it’s only a pop-up, the NLB Comics and Games Library is by no means as spacious as the nearby Punggol Regional Library, but we feel that it’s just the right size to serve as a cosy reading nook.
But before you get snug with a good book, you’ve got to get past the automated gantries. Simply open up your NLB Mobile App (App Store | Google Play), scan your eCard’s QR code, and you’re good to go. You can also use a library-compliant card such as your NRIC, driving license, or school smart card to enter.
Though, we recommend downloading the NLB Mobile App, as it also allows you to borrow books by scanning their NLB barcode or QR code in the app. If you don’t have an NLB eCard or a library-compliant card, fret not, as you can request for a day pass for entry by scanning a QR code on a banner outside the library.
Once inside, you’re all free to browse the library for your favourite English-language comics, graphic novels, and video game-inspired reads.
Ones that we foresee flying off the shelves are the ever-popular volumes of Marvel and DC comics, featuring iconic superheroes like Captain America, Iron Man, the X-Men, Batman, and the Justice League. There’s also a whole row of iconic Mr Kiasu comics too, which definitely make for humorous and all-too relatable reading material.
Should you be on the prowl for new reads that aren’t on the library’s shelves, you can browse their collection of eBooks on a touchscreen gallery. All you’ve got to do is use your finger to scroll through the gallery, tap on the ones that interest you, and whip out your NLB Mobile App to scan the QR code to borrow these eBooks.
The library also has an impressive selection of Japanese Manga; we saw fan-favourite titles such as the entire Naruto series, Hunter x Hunter, and Fairy Tail. For gamers, you’ll find a couple of familiar titles on the opposite shelf, as it’s lined with game-themed fiction books. These include Halo, Assassin’s Creed, and World of Warcraft.
Aspiring artists, head a little further into the library, because that’s where the non-fiction guidebooks teaching you how to draw comics and Manga of your own are located. We also found books on video game design and, interestingly, a healthy amount of chess-related works, should you be looking to improve your Elo rating.
For those visiting with little ones, the children’s books are all located near the front of the library. This writer is surprised that they’re still publishing new editions of Geronimo Stilton and Captain Underpants till this day; good to see that the famouse Italian rodent hasn’t lost his spark yet.
There’s not really that much seating available within the library itself; we counted only 2 benches for you to lounge on while reading. However, there’s plenty of seats right outside at Punggol Coast Mall’s expansive plaza. When you’d like to return your books after borrowing them, head to any NLB library to do so instead of dropping them off at the pop-up. Like we’ve mentioned, the closest library is the Punggol Regional Library, which is about a 5-minute drive away.
With the opening of the pop-up, NLB took the chance to shine the spotlight on some of the most prominent local comic artists and their works. They’ve set up a Singapore comics showcase near the entrance of the library, highlighting recognisable series such as the nostalgic Mr Kiasu and the Bookworm Gang Adventures.
Right in front of the showcase lies the Games Corner. It’s free for all visitors to use, and there are 4 tables with chairs tucked underneath that can be used to play various board games. It’s set up in collaboration with Origame, a local board game designing and publishing company.
Apart from classic board games like chess, Connect 4, and Monopoly, have a go at Origame’s uniquely Singaporean offerings to fuel your next game night. For instance, Kopi King’s a fast-paced card game that’s all about concocting our favourite drinks on the Little Red Dot, while Buffet Boss will have players stacking as many food tokens as possible onto their tiny plates.
Whether you’re a manga enthusiast or a board game fanatic, consider making a stop at the new NLB Comics and Games Library pop-up on your next visit to Punggol Coast Mall.
Address: 88 Punggol Way, Punggol Coast Mall, Level 1, #01-140, Singapore 829913
Opening hours: 10am-10pm, Daily
For more reads that will interest bibliophiles:
Photography by Andrea Wong.
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