The best public libraries in Singapore

If you have a keen interest in diving deeper into the realms of Chinese arts and culture, a visit to the Library@Chinatown Point should be at the top of your list. This one-of-a-kind library, spanning an impressive 10,800 square feet, proudly stands as Singapore's first themed library dedicated to Chinese arts and culture. What sets it apart is that it is entirely run by passionate volunteers who have made it their mission to share the richness of our heritage. Here, you'll have the opportunity to uncover our familiar dialects, such as Hokkien, Teochew, and Cantonese, which hold a special place in our cultural tapestry. Immerse yourself in this inviting space that tastefully incorporates Chinese elements, honouring and celebrating our vibrant culture in every corner.

This five-storey haven for bookworms recently opened in Punggol – one of the youngest estates in Singapore. This library includes several features like the Toy Library, which encourages children to engage in sensory play, Calm Pods, accessible collections, assistive technology devices throughout the library, and an entire floor dedicated to learning more about cutting-edge technology.

Located in Singapore Botanic Gardens, the Library of Botany and Horticulture houses an impressive collection of horticulture, landscape architecture of botanical research done in Singapore. The only catch here is that while it is open to the public, the materials in the library are not available for loan – which is why it is a good thing that there are plenty of comfortable sofas to sink in and spend the day reading.

The perfect pitstop when shopping in the city, library@orchard opens its doors in 2014, treating visitors to a cornucopia amount of resources centered on lifestyle, design and applied art. Located on the third and fourth floors of Orchardgateway, the library splits into The Studio and The Loft which features a vast array of titles, as well as programme zones. Plus, its gorgeous interiors is a great excuse to grab a paperback or a magazine and chill indoors.

Nestled nicely within its new home Heartbeat@Bedok, the honeycombed-like library is decked with landscape elements inspired by nature, which makes it a lush escape from reality, especially with a good book. The garden-themed Early Literacy Area will delight the little ones with its giant watering pot, snail-shaped bookshelves, and TumbleBook stations where they can interact with eBooks filled with animated illustrations. The books are also categorised based on five early literacy skills so that parents can select the most suitable ones for their tots.

After its relocation, the library re-opened at Our Tampines Hub in 2017. Its brand new digs boast an extensive collection of reading, visual and audio materials for users of all ages, as well as learning spaces such as the PA-managed culinary studios (Level 2), interest group activity rooms (Level 2), and an indoor playground (Level 3) for kids. Check out its multimedia stations, programme zones, a hardware lab, study lounges and cosy reading areas. Feeling active? Go for its 700m-long running track or exercise bikes which allows you to read and cycle while overlooking Our Tampines Hub's football pitch.

The first and still the largest regional library, the Woodlands Regional Library is located within a stone’s throw of Woodlands MRT Station. Occupying four levels of the Woodlands Civic Centre, it also houses a 250-seat auditorium in the basement, as well as a performance stage and 20-seat AV appreciation for public screening of TV programmes. The library is nature-themed and has a special focus on children with their own features-galore Reading Park. It has the largest collection of Chinese and Malay books.

Take a break from the busy mall and step inside Singapore's newest public library where you will find over 200,000 volumes of books, conducive reading and learning spaces for children, teens and adults, learning pods, augmented reality books and enhanced services for both avid readers and those keen to learn. The main star of the library is the reading lounge with huge windows that offer spectacular waterfront views, overlooking Sentosa – just like reading by the beach.

It’s a no-brainer when it comes to sports and active recreation materials – the Singapore Sports Hub Library is brimming with such resources. Not just for sports professionals, readers of all ages are welcomed. Browse through heaps of prints, audiovisuals, electronic resources of various genres that include sports, coaching, biographies, health and fitness, as well as business management, science, medical and more.

With a central borrowing library, reference library and a digital library in tow, National Library aims to be more than just a place for book-reading. Showered with architectural awards before it had even opened, the new building (a replacement for the old National Library on Stamford Road) is designed as two towers, linked by walkways and walled almost entirely with glass. The spacious reference section and the study rooms on the upper floors offer great views across the city. There are some small exhibition spaces, and it also houses the Drama Centre.

Home to the world's first green library for children My Tree House, this library boasts a large collection of fiction titles. It also houses a good array of business and creative design offerings. Besides basic facilities like self-check borrowing sites, a 24-hour book drop service, multimedia stations, online catalogues and photocopying machines, it also has a fiction advisory service that gives users advice on fiction titles to read based on their interests, assistive reading devices and e-kiosks. About 134,000 print items are available here. Plus, it often hosts programmes like book launches, exhibitions, book discussions and meet-the-author sessions.  

Designed by Look Architects, this distinctive four-storey public library with a basement and roof terrace is flanked by stained glass panels resembling light from a tropical tree canopy. Choose from the 250,000 titles at the library and chill out at the reading pods or snuggle up at the eatery in the library, D.I.G Dining In Garden on the first floor.