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The National Library Board (NLB) is unveiling a shiny new sci-fi pop-up library at Parkway Parade and sprinkling fresh Sit-n-Read Nodes (aka mini libraries) across the island.
The star attraction? A fully self-service Sci-Fi Pop-up Library that landed on Level 4 of Parkway Parade on May 14. And it’s easy to spot too. Look out for chrome-coated walls spotting a green neon glow and you would have reached your destination.
Stocked with close to 4,000 sci-fi titles, graphic novels and comics for readers of every age, the temporary library was created in collaboration with Parkway Parade and backed by The Imaginariad, a group dedicated to keeping the sci-fi and fantasy torch burning bright. Among the titles on the shelves: ‘Sofia and the Utopia Machine’, ‘My BFF Is an Alien’, ‘The Stars’, ‘Like Dust’ and even ‘Jedi Training’.
Inside, readers can browse everything from galaxy-hopping space operas to dystopian nightmares and cyberpunk fever dreams. There’s also an interactive eReads screen, because naturally, the future includes borrowing eBooks while standing in a mall.
And this isn’t your average grab-a-book-and-go setup. For the first time ever, an NLB pop-up library is housing a full-fledged exhibition. Expect original paintings used for iconic sci-fi book covers – including works tied to titles like The Icarus Twin by Timothy Zahn and The Drowned World by J. G. Ballard – alongside thematic artworks and figurines inspired by stories found in the collection.
There’s also a distinctly local chapter to the cosmic affair. Visitors can dig into how sci-fi found its footing in Singapore from the 1970s to the ’90s, revisit cult local comic ‘The Amazing Adventures of Captain V’, and browse works by homegrown sci-fi writers like Judith Huang and Vivian Teo.
The pop-up is also dabbling in the AI conversation. Visitors can try StoryGen, an immersive experience using generative AI to reimagine beloved stories visually, while display panels explain how AI works.
The sci-fi takeover runs daily from 10am to 10pm until April 11, 2027, with the collection set to grow over time. Entry is simple: scan your library card, NLB eCard, or snag a QR-code day pass before browsing and borrowing through the NLB mobile app. Bonus: books can still be returned at any NLB library islandwide
Meanwhile, NLB’s Sit-n-Read Nodes are making a comeback tour with three new outposts at Century Square, City Sprouts Bedok and The Cove at Waterway Point, joining existing spots at places like AMK Hub, Margaret Market, SAFRA Punggol, SAFRA Yishun, The Centrepoint and The Star Vista. Together, the network now offers more than 6,000 pre-loved books across 10 locations. Each Node will stick around anywhere from a few months to a year, depending on location.
Follow NLB on Instagram for more updates.
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