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A Nationwide Library System and Its Place in Knowledge Society and Smart Nation: The Case of Singapore

Abstract What role can a library system play in the development of a knowledge society and a smart city or a smart nation? In Singapore, we are able to identify governmental master plans to develop and to consolidate a knowledge society and a knowledge-based economy since around 1980. The current Smart Nation plan aims for comprehensive digital innovations in the country. Singapore’s National Library Board (NLB) is an agency of the Ministry of Communication and Information; it is responsible for the Public Libraries, the National Library, and the National Archives. Its duties are regulated by law. This article describes the tasks of NLB and its institutions, the physical as well as digital resources, NLB’s services (for instance, OneSearch and the Singapore Memory Project), important programs (e.g. activities to foster digital literacy and information literacy), NLB’s social media activities, and, finally, user participation (following design thinking) in the development of NLB’s services. In contrast to many other countries in the world, the nationwide library system in Singapore plays an important role on the way towards a knowledge society and Smart Nation as it fosters ubiquitous access to knowledge (content), provides spaces for the community, and attempts to deepen digital literacy skills of all Singaporeans.