Librarian Janice Loo uncovers the story of an early Japanese photography studio and its enterprising proprietors. Researching early photography studios in Singapore is part of my work as a photographs collection librarian at the National Library. One perk of the job is the thrill of coming across vintage photographs that…

Do you remember Singapore’s past food campaigns such as “Eat More Wheat” and “Eat Frozen Fish”? Librarian Jacqueline Lee dishes up food campaign collaterals from the National Library Board’s collections. Singapore has been called a “city of campaigns”. Over the past few decades, there have been hundreds of campaigns on…

Gather round as librarian Sharon Teng explores how traditional fairy tales have been given a local twist in this round-up of titles in the National Library. When I was young, my mum would always read fairy tales to me at bedtime. Some of my favourites include The Selfish Giant, The…

Senior Librarian Luke Chua reminisces about the art clubs in early Singapore and in his own life. I have a confession to make. I once had dreams, or rather, delusions, of becoming Singapore’s Next Top Artist. Encouraged by well-meaning but ultimately misplaced praise from friends and family members on my…

With access to library and archival resources such as maps, photographs, and newspapers from the collections of the National Library and National Archives of Singapore, we can unlock the secrets that lie behind the places we see today. Senior Librarian Tin Seng investigates the fascinating story of Sarong Island. Not…

What lies in the Rare Materials Collections of the National Library, Singapore? In this series, we explore this treasure trove. The UK and Australia are popular destinations for Singaporeans and plenty of people go there every year. Today, you can hop on a plane and arrive in London in less…

Mention the record industry in Singapore and local bands such as The Crescendos and The Quests or singers like Rahimah Rahim and Dick Lee may spring to mind. But who would have thought that Singapore was once a hub for recording artistes and recording companies? Publishing manager Stephanie shares her…

Back in 1978, a nurse was awarded the winning prize for the design of the old Changi Hospital logo. But was she the real designer? Dahlia Shamsuddin unmasks the real artist. When Changi Hospital was established in 1976, it had many things on its plate and a new logo for…

What lies in the Rare Materials Collections of the National Library, Singapore? In this series, we explore the gems of this treasure trove to uncover their fascinating stories. It is often intriguing to find things between pages of old books. Dollar notes, letters, photographs, news clippings, pressed flowers, and even…