Abstract
In 2015, the National Library Board (NLB) Singapore was invited to participate in a project to set up two public libraries of about 1500 sq m each, within a larger public library of 67,000 sq m in the Tianjin Eco City. This was the first time NLB had the opportunity to plan two libraries concurrently within a larger library, from conceptualisation to delivering the final product of two working libraries. The libraries were completed and opened in September 2018. This article describes the journey, opportunities, challenges and lessons learnt.
Introduction
The 30-sq km Tianjin Eco City is located near Tianjin, which is about 110 km southeast of Beijing, the capital city of China. It is a new city built from scratch, as the land it sits on today was once a small fishing village, and land there in 2008 was not usable.
When China decided to build a new city to implement the idea of a sustainable city model, it invited Singapore to collaborate with the Chinese authorities to plan the city together (Channel News Asia, 2018; Ministry of National Development, 2016). The scope of the collaboration was broad, covering urban planning, design of roads, transport, housing, IT infrastructure, parks, libraries, schools and hospitals.
Work to turn the non-usable land into usable land started in 2008. It took 5 years for the land to be transformed, before roads and housing could be built.
The National Library Board (NLB) was approached in April 2015 to look into the planning and set-up of the libraries when a formal request was made to the Chief Executive (CE), NLB to participate in the project. CE, NLB assigned the project to its subsidiary, Cybrarian Ventures Pte Ltd, now renamed Library & Archives Solutions Pte Ltd (LAAS).
Understanding patrons' needs
The first thing LAAS did was to find out the needs of the target patrons. From our discussion with the Chinese team, the new Tianjin Eco City had a population of mainly young families, grandparents and young children. The population was about 80,000 when the library opened in September 2018, on the 10th anniversary of the Eco City.
The Eco City was set up to showcase sustainability in its development. Of the two libraries that LAAS planned for them, one was a children’s library with a special focus on sustainable development. The other was a library focused on showcasing Singapore materials, to allow Chinese users to have access to library materials on and about Singapore, and for the peoples of both countries to learn from each other, and exchange experiences.
By working with NLB and LAAS, the Chinese team was able to learn from Singapore’s experience in developing innovative library services and to implement a modern approach in the management of their libraries.
Proposed themes and concepts of libraries
After several rounds of discussions comprising face-to-face meetings and videoconferencing, the Singapore team proposed the following concepts for the two libraries:
The Singapore Library
The Singapore Library would be a window to Singapore and would stock materials on Singapore’s culture, economy, social history, tourism and prominent personalities in both the Chinese and English languages. The plan was for the Singapore Library to be a centre of information, culture and exchange of experiences between the peoples of both countries. It would be a place where Chinese patrons could find information about Singapore.
There would be a collaborative reference and information service where Chinese patrons could ask questions about Singapore, and reference librarians in NLB would support the Chinese librarians in answering these enquiries.
There would be collaboration spaces in the Singapore Library that would allow business and cultural groups from Singapore and China to get together to exchange experiences and learn from each other.
In addition, there would be an exhibition area for content on Singapore to be curated for the Chinese audience. An open programming area would be set up for programmes to be held regularly.
The Eco Children’s Library
The Eco Children’s Library would be designed with a focus on sustainable development to educate children on the importance of sustainability. Collections and regular programmes would have a particular focus on this theme.
The collections in the Children’s Library would be arranged by age groups. Babies and toddlers would have their own spaces, separated from spaces for the older children. The library would serve children from 0 to 12 years old and would stock materials in both the Chinese and English languages.
To encourage parents and grandparents to read with their children and grandchildren, low tables and chairs for families to read together would be included in the design.
As storytelling and programmes are important to showcase collections and educate children on various topics, an open area for library programmes would be provided.
Unique value propositions from Singapore
In 2015, the Tianjin Eco City’s Mayor and Senior Management visited Singapore and NLB libraries a few times before the project started. They were impressed with NLB’s customer-centric focus and the way NLB libraries are designed with our patrons in mind.
They were also very impressed with the open layout design of NLB libraries, where patrons can see all the services easily when they enter the library. They were particularly keen to learn more about the softer aspects of planning and managing libraries.
Design of older Chinese libraries
The older libraries in China are usually huge with large floor areas, and most of the services are provided in special rooms designed to house the collections and services. When patrons enter the libraries, they are not able to see the range of collections and services, and it is hard for patrons to navigate the spaces to find the collection that they wish to consult. Often they have to walk quite a distance to get to the collections and services that they wish to use, as the floor areas are very large and reading rooms are spread out.
Signage is usually not well designed to provide useful information to patrons. It is common to see a sign that says ‘reading room’ on each floor without indicating the subject matter of the collections in the respective reading rooms.
Libraries that we visited were often still manual, with users needing to go to the customer services counter to borrow and return books. This made the services less convenient for patrons.
E-books that we saw in China in 2016 and 2017 were housed in e-panels in the libraries and patrons had to go to the libraries to download the e-books which again was not convenient. This has changed quite considerably, and today most Chinese libraries allow downloads of e-books through mobile devices.
Library seats for patrons are generally heavy and bulky in design, and the look and feel of the library can be very institutional and not user-friendly. Lighting is usually white, and the library does not look welcoming.
Exhibition and programming spaces are usually housed in enclosed areas, and on upper floors, and may not be as easily seen by patrons as they explore the library.
These are common design features found in traditional Chinese libraries, though the newer ones that opened the last few years in cities such as Guangzhou are a lot more user-friendly, welcoming and attractive.
NLB’s library design and development principles
NLB has been planning and setting up new libraries for many years, and libraries that opened in the last 20 years were especially appealing and attractive to our patrons (National Library Board, 1997–2017). LAAS takes these principles and applies them to the libraries that it sets up overseas.
The libraries that LAAS has set up can be found in Bangkok in Thailand and Johore Bahru in Malaysia. These are very well used and much loved and admired by their patrons. In fact, the Thai Design Centre Library was highlighted by one travel book as a must-visit tourist sight in Bangkok!
The principles that NLB uses in designing libraries are: open concept in the layout of spaces for collections, services and programmes; user-friendly location of collections and services to make navigation easy for patrons; clustering of related services for different age groups for easy access; designing cosy and comfortable areas to encourage patrons to stay and enjoy learning; creative use of lighting and colours to make spaces look and feel like living rooms; designing each library to make it unique; continually innovating and offering very convenient and accessible services to patrons such as mobile phone borrowing services; and improving each new library over the previous ones in all areas.
Open concept of library design
When NLB started opening branch libraries in 1970, the way its collections and services were laid out was not well-designed. Often users could not find the collection or service that they wished to use due to poor library layout and signage.
Over the years, as NLB focused increasingly on the needs of patrons, spaces became much more open. Today, every NLB library is designed to promote visibility of its collections and services, both in the way these are laid out and in the creative use of effective signage (Figures 1 and 2).
Open concept of library with casual seating.
Open concept of library with varying seating options.
User-friendly location of collections and services
To improve access to services, NLB teams studied how patrons went into a library and how they navigated their way to use its services. Collections and services are arranged in a manner that makes the most logical sense to library patrons.
For example, the book drops that allow patrons to return their books are placed outside the library so that patrons can access them 24 × 7 (Figure 3). DIY e-kiosks (Figure 4) and book-borrowing machines are placed near the entrance so that patrons can check their loan status when they enter the library and borrow the books before they leave the library.
24 × 7 book drop.
E-kiosk to check loan status.
Today, patrons no longer have to go to a borrowing machine to borrow their books. They can use their mobile phones to borrow books while browsing the collections. They can borrow the books anywhere at their own convenience without looking for a borrowing machine (Figure 5).
Mobile phone book-borrowing service.
Clustering of collections and services for different age groups
Different parts of the library are designed to best meet the needs of each target group. For example, parents would like to read with their children and low reading tables are provided for this purpose. Shelves are made low for very young children and they are encouraged to select books for themselves (Figure 6).
Low shelves and carpet for babies to read with their parents.
The area is usually also laid out further away from the area for adults as some adults may not like to hear any noise when they use the collections. For adults who cannot stand any noise, a special Quiet Reading Room is created for them, so that they can enjoy reading in complete silence.
A specially designed area is created for seniors who love reading the newspapers. The most recently opened library has a newspaper reading area much like an airport lounge where seniors can relax and read their newspapers in a comfortable environment.
Young people have furniture specially designed for them. For example, they like sitting in hanging cushioned seats (Figure 7) and socialising with their friends. These are now installed in a number of libraries.
Hanging seating for teens.
Design of cosy and comfortable areas
As the expectations of patrons increase, NLB does its best to keep up with user needs. Today’s patrons are more sensitive to the look and feel of the library. They want cool, hip and happening libraries. Twenty years ago, my daughter told me excitedly one day when we opened a new library near her school that she and her friends found our new library so cool that they visited the library more often!
Lighting is important to create a nice ambience, and seats need to be comfortable too. When we engaged patrons to help us plan a new library several years ago, one of the comments they made was that they would like the library to provide them with private reading spaces. We introduced private reading cocoons and received great feedback from patrons. This is now a standard feature in our newer libraries.
In designing libraries, NLB engages patrons to participate in the planning process. Patrons make recommendations to NLB to improve their experience, and NLB would introduce these ideas in new libraries. Two of these suggestions that have worked very well are magazine shelving with magazine covers facing outwards and reading cocoons where patrons can read in a very private space (Figures 8 and 9).
Shelving with magazine covers facing out.
A reading cocoon.
Creative use of lighting and colour
Library design is very much like designing new homes. Patrons want a special space that they can call their own and where they feel happy in. Our designers use warm white and warm lighting to make the library spaces more like living rooms, with variations in lighting and colour to make the spaces attractive and appealing to patrons (Figures 10 and 11).
Use of lighting to improve user experience.
Use of effective signage and colour to improve user experience.
Making each library unique
Each library sits in a community with different needs and environments. Our libraries are designed with themes that are most natural for them depending on where they are located and who they serve. For example, if the library serves a community where there are more ethnic Indians, the library will hold a larger collection of books in the Tamil language and have shelves specially designed with modern subtle Indian motifs.
If the library is located near the sea, it takes a theme of water sustainability in its design. The design of each library promotes what is closest to the hearts of the people it serves.
As the library@esplanade is located in an arts centre, it provides a range of arts-related facilities for its patrons (Figures 12 and 13).
Located in an arts centre, library@esplanade has video-viewing facilities.
Located in an arts centre, library@esplanade has music-making facilities.
Innovations to make services convenient and enjoyable
Today’s library patrons are very different from the generations of users in the 1980s or 1990s. They want everything at their fingertips and delivered quickly. They have no patience, and if they search the internet and do not find the library, the library is irrelevant to them.
As a response to this, NLB has relentlessly innovated to improve its services, to keep up with the needs of patrons. Today, patrons can walk into any of our libraries and use their mobile phone to check their loans, borrow and renew books, reserve books and make enquiries. They can reserve books and collect them anytime via a DIY locker (Figure 14). They can borrow e-books anytime and reserve and download them anywhere at their convenience (Figure 15). This has attracted many new patrons.
DIY reservation lockers.
Downloading of e-books anytime anywhere.
To make storytelling more enjoyable and memorable, NLB introduced an immersive storytelling service in its recent libraries. This is being fine-tuned to improve the patrons' experience (Figure 16).
NLB introduced an immersive storytelling experience by having images relating to the story projected on the walls of the storytelling room. NLB: National Library Board.
In addition, NLB uses robots to read its shelves and makes a list of books that have been mis-shelved, so that staff can easily find them and re-shelve them (Figure 17). One of the libraries where LAAS implemented a robot to read the bookshelves decided not to shelf-read its shelves every day anymore as patrons can find their new locations in the online catalogue. The new locations of the mis-shelved books are shown in the online catalogue immediately after the robot reads the shelves.
Robot reading shelves to collect real-time information about books on shelves.
The information that the robot collects daily can be used to provide patrons with real-time information on new arrivals on the shelves and popular books just returned as well as to alert users to books on topics that they are interested in. There are many other patron-centric library services that can be provided using this real-time information collected by the robot.
Each new library better than the previous
NLB has been lucky in that it runs a system of 26 public libraries, 1 national library and 1 national archive. What it learns from one library can be applied to the next, whether it is due for minor or major renovation every 5–10 years.
For that reason, NLB teams have developed a holistic system of library planning policies and processes that involve engaging patrons and other stakeholders very early in each library’s design, incorporating lessons learnt in previous library planning journeys and innovating to implement new library services.
Planning the Sino-Singapore Friendship Library
A Joint Working Committee was set up with the Chinese team, comprising the Deputy Mayor of the city and the Chief Librarian of the library. The themes and concepts were proposed to them and were endorsed by them during face-to-face meetings in Tianjin Eco City or via videoconferencing between visits.
While the concepts were being discussed, the Singapore team engaged a local architect who is familiar with the NLB way of designing libraries to take on the project via proper procurement procedures.
With the help of the architect, the schematic designs of the libraries and the detailed designs were completed and presented to the Chinese team (Figures 18 -21). As the Chinese team members were also fairly familiar with the NLB way of designing libraries and as they also liked NLB’s approach to designs, it was not difficult for them to accept the designs proposed by the Singapore architect.
Design of the book street in the Singapore Library.
Casual reading area in the Singapore Library.
Design of the magazines area in the Eco Children’s Library.
Design of the storytelling area in the Eco Children’s Library.
These designs and tender drawings were then passed to the Tianjin Eco City’s library architect to include in his tender drawings for the whole library and to obtain clearances for fire safety and other areas.
The approval process for the fire safety took a long time as, just before this, there was a big explosion that happened in Tianjin Port at a container storage station, causing the death of 173 people and injuring hundreds of others. The fire safety clearance caused a delay in the project timeline. The Chinese team assured us that they would be able to catch up on the timeline once the fire safety clearance was obtained.
Finally, after a delay of several months, the clearance was obtained, and the tender for the interior fitting out of the library was called. By then, it was nearly the end of 2017, and we were quite concerned about completing the fitting-out in time for the opening.
When the contractor for the fitting-out was appointed, and work started, the Singapore team visited the library to review the selection of the lighting, furniture, carpet, flooring and paint colours for the walls.
As the project timeline was very tight, after the first meeting with the Chinese team and appointed contractor, the follow-up activities were conducted via email and videoconferencing.
An inspection of the fitting-out works was held when there was enough for the team to review, and areas that needed changes were highlighted and agreed upon at the meeting after the inspection. Again, follow-up was done via email and videoconferencing.
Where there were issues that could not be resolved at the working level, the Joint Working Committee was engaged to make a final decision on the way forward.
As time was really tight, it was not possible to ensure that the works were done to the satisfaction of the architect for all the areas that required changes. Between the architect, LAAS and the library management, decisions were made on the most critical areas where changes had to be made to reduce any adverse impact on the final look and feel of the library.
One example of inadequate follow-up was the lighting levels and effects on the library. The Singapore team wanted a higher lux level which was not provided, even at the opening of the library. The workmanship for some of the bookshelves was not quite up to the standard that we had wanted. The Chinese team assured the Singapore team that they would continue to work on these after the opening of the library.
Opening of the library
Finally, the day came when the library opened to the public. It was a high point for the Tianjin Eco City and its residents (China Daily, 2018; Shanghai Library, 2018). Over 10,000 people visited the library on the first day (Tianjin Municipal Government, 2018). For a population of 80,000, this was amazing. Patrons were happy with the library, as there were many DIY services provided.
Feedback from the public was positive. Many liked the open concept of the library and felt that the design was user-friendly. Parents and grandparents brought their children and grandchildren and were seen enjoying the spaces and furniture specially designed for them.
Five-year training programme
In conjunction with the planning of the library, Tianjin Eco City Library also engaged LAAS to provide a 5-year training programme for the staff. The senior management felt that staff could learn from NLB the customer-centric way of serving patrons, the way NLB markets and promotes its services and the way it manages and develops its libraries to meet the changing needs of its patrons.
The training programme includes library planning principles and processes, library management and operations, library service innovation, collection development, library programming, national reading initiatives and volunteer and citizen engagement (Figures 22 and 23).
Training session for Chinese librarians.
Recent training session in the newly completed Singapore Library’s Project Room.
Opportunities
As Tianjin Eco City is a new city and it has a forward-looking management, there were many opportunities for LAAS to explore new ideas and new ways of doing things. The management was open to most of the recommendations that we proposed and supported the Chinese library team with resources and funding to implement them.
Like other NLB libraries, this new library is totally DIY. Patrons can help themselves with the collections and services as they explore the library. The layout and design of the spaces and the furniture are modern and attractive, and many patrons like what they see.
The Chinese team also introduced face recognition, which is something new to NLB. They implemented a robot which would greet library users, answer simple enquiries and bring them physically to the books that they wish to borrow.
Staff trained in customer services are customer-focused, and they are able to assist users in ways that make the use of the library convenient and enjoyable.
Challenges
The key challenges arose from the different understandings of what quality was, and what project planning entailed. Due to the distance, the Singapore team was not able to be on-site to supervise the fitting-out works more regularly. The two visits to inspect the fitting-out works were just about sufficient, but it was difficult to ensure that the follow-up actions were taken after each visit.
One example of this was the quality of the finishes for the steel shelves. Some of them were not of the quality that we wanted. The contractor assured us that they would make the necessary changes and ensure that the shelves would be finished in accordance with the specifications before the opening of the library. Some of the changes were made and others were not.
The words on the walls that we had designed for the Singapore Library were not painted in accordance with the design provided, and it was not possible for changes to be made due to the constraints of time. The same went for the final lighting levels, despite reminders.
Lessons learnt
In planning and implementing the project, we learnt that regular communication was key to the success of the project. This is especially important as we are so far away from the Eco City. It was also very important that we built the rapport and good working relations with the Chinese team. With the excellent working relations between us, it was easy for us to send WeChat messages to them and ask them to keep us posted on what was happening at the Chinese end.
Another lesson learnt was that it was important for the senior management of the Chinese team to visit our libraries. When they were in Singapore, we could show them in person and explain to them in detail the guiding principles of our planning, what we do and why we do it. By the time the library proposals reached them, they did not take long to endorse the service concepts and library designs that we proposed.
Conclusion
When we started the project, we were not really sure that it could be smoothly implemented, as this was the first time we were undertaking such a scheme in China. However, after going through the process, and completing the project, we are happy that we succeeded. Although there are still some areas that we might have done slightly differently, on the whole the objective of the libraries has been achieved. More importantly, the libraries are well used and appreciated by the Tianjin Eco City senior management, the Chinese library team and the patrons of the library.
Footnotes
Declaration of conflicting interests
The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Funding
The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.