NLB increases digital offerings during circuit breaker period
With the closure of all public libraries because of the circuit breaker measures, more have turned to e-books.
The National Library Board (NLB) saw a 225 per cent jump in physical library material loans during the weekend of April 4 and 5, before the temporary closure of NLB facilities from April 7 to May 4.
It also saw an 82 per cent rise in e-book loans from April 4 to 13 compared with the same period last year.
Mdm Goh Hwee Lian, 52, took the circuit breaker period as an opportunity to make the shift to e-books.
Said the mother of two: “E-books are convenient, as I can have everything in one device – the mobile phone.”
In response to more people going digital, NLB has added more e-books, audiobooks and e-magazines to its collection.
The juvenile fiction genre, in particular, saw a 15.7 per cent increase in loans as compared to before the Covid-19 outbreak.
Last month, NLB added more than 600 children’s titles to their collection. Many publishers have also offered unlimited checkouts for their e-books during this pandemic.
To keep children engaged at home, NLB launched weekly online storytelling sessions last week. The five to 15-minute sessions, hosted by librarians, volunteers and local authors, are carried out in English, Malay, Chinese and Tamil.
These sessions will continue beyond the circuit breaker period after libraries reopen.
To encourage more to learn from home, NLB has put together learning packages to better equip the public with knowledge on the pandemic and self-improvement.
Each learning package includes a mix of physical books, e-books, articles, short videos and podcasts.
NLB has also picked out e-book recommendations on topics such as mindfulness, self-meditation, dealing with uncertainties, working from home effectively and new hobbies to pick up.
“The resources and materials provided by NLB have been very helpful as we navigate this difficult and painful chapter of our lives,” said Mdm Goh.
Top 10 NLB E-book Checkouts (April 4 to 10, 2020)
1. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone: Harry Potter Series, Book 1
2. Lee Kuan Yew: The Man and His Ideas
3. Becoming
4. Dr. Seuss and Philosophy: Oh, the Thinks You Can Think!
5. Lord of the Fleas: Dog Man Series, Book 5
6. Tame Your Anxiety: Rewiring Your Brain for Happiness
7. The Singapore Story: Memoirs of Lee Kuan Yew, Volume 1
8. Tall Order: The Goh Chok Tong Story, Volume 1
9. 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos
10. Horrid Henry’s Joke Book
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