Let me tell you about my first.

My first library visit in Singapore!

It happened way back in 2013. I was delighted to discover that my nearest  library was in Bukit Batok, a short bus ride away. Located in West Mall, adjacent to the Bukit Batok MRT station, the small space on the third (or was it second?) floor was staffed with friendly faces at the entrance and stacked full of books in English, Tamil, Chinese and Malay. I found some of my favorite authors in the fiction stacks and many new-to-me authors in the rest. 

FInding solace in books

At that time, I was the stay-at-home trailing spouse/mom. 

My newly blended family with a working spouse and two girls in school left home each morning, doing what they needed to do. I, on the other hand, was totally lost. The days stretched ahead of me like an unending desert with barren sand dunes. Besides applying for jobs, I had no other outlet for my restless energy. No friends to meet, No supportive community to plug into.

So I turned to the one thing that always brought me solace.

Books!

And the library was the oasis that beckoned me repeatedly. I checked out at least six books each time, returning home with a heavy bag and a light heart.

“You don’t need to bring all the books from the library to our home,” said my husband, watching the teetering stack on my bedside table. “The library will keep safe for you until you are ready to read them,” he said, with a smile. 

I knew that. I had given away much of my personal collection when I moved from India to Singapore and I missed having books in my home. Books are my safe space. My wise little council of elders. My accepting friends. My go-to solution for most problems – physical, mental or otherwise. He did not know that.

And so I continued reading, bringing more books, tracking their due dates, returning them on time, enjoying being amidst the silent stacks, running my fingers across the spines in random isles, stopping at whatever title caught my fancy and perusing it right there. Or checking it out to bring it home with me.

A different life phase

Today I am in a semi-retired state of mind (and work), trying to intentionally create a life by choosing to curate a life that is composed of things and activities that I value.

I was disappointed to hear that the Bukit Batok library was going for renovations at the end of 2023, soon after life had returned to somewhat normal after the pandemic and post-pandemic years. Like many others, I switched to NLB’s growing digital collection and soon began favoring audiobooks. Yet there is something about holding a printed book in your hand.

When I heard that the post-Covid renovations at Bukit Batok library were complete and it was opening at the end of March 2026, I was eager to visit.

Luckily for me, a reader of the Straits Times who had read my recent article in the paper “Making space for joy in moving to part-time work” wanted to meet in person and we chose West Mall for our first interaction. After a lovely chat over coffee and cake, SM and I visited the brand new, expanded space (over multiple floors) of Bukit Batok library.

It was a weekday afternoon and most of the spaces were occupied by schoolchildren in uniforms, either studying, whispering loudly, or running/walking briskly across the floors.

A section of the library has a ‘cave’, inspired by the now abandoned quarry, Little Guilin in the neighborhood. The low lighting, soft sounds and the soft curves of the walls make it a soothing oasis in a busy mall. Some kids were sitting on the floor doing homework, other curious visitors like us walked around reading the helpful information.

Interactive sound stations allow you to listen to local sounds by pressing the appropriate button. A small area provided interesting information about the Former Ford Factory (located adjacent to my home, which I intend to visit, soon I hope) and its role in Singapore’s colonial history.

The highlight of course was the incorporation of soundscapes into the experience of visiting the library. Calming sounds – rustling leaves, bird calls, faraway conversational chatter – had a calming influence despite the bustle of schoolchildren in uniforms occupying practically every seat.

The Sound Pavilion, Sound Cave and Sound Library are different ways of bringing our sense of hearing into a holistic experience of a space which we may traditionally associate with vision. As a lover of audiobooks who has fully embraced a wholly different way of reading, I was thrilled with this new way of expanding our senses to enhance understanding.

Of course I did not leave empty-handed. I checked out Femonomics by Corrine Low, a book that had recently been appreciated in our book club monthly meetup, which, incidentally, happens at the Harbourfront library.

A new project for 2026

As I try out a new way of living in this phase of life where I work part-time, I am looking for interesting short projects to try out, 

While I periodically visit the Singapore NLB branches close to home, I haven’t really been to many of the other location, several of which have been recently revamped. 

Why not plan to visit each branch and write about it?

So this is how I begin. With the first library that has recently been restored and expanded. Perhaps once a week, if my schedule allows, I will visit a new branch. And perhaps discover something new, something interesting. At the very least, I will once again roam through the stacks and find new treasure, in the form of a book!

If you live in Singapore and would like to join one of my jaunts, particularly if it is in your neighborhood, send me an email – hi@ranjanirao.com.