Orchard Library – Getting There, Opening Hours & A Tour

Orchard Library – Getting There, Opening Hours & A Tour

Enjoying a book in a quiet enclave is rarely a motive for visiting our renowned Orchard Road shopping belt. This is especially so considering the inexhaustible supply of retail, dining and entertainment options that can really make anyone spoilt for choice. Nonetheless, a library is a welcome addition to the bustling scene. If you are the voracious reader or serenity seeker amongst us, Orchard Library is most definitely one of the places you would love to hang out at!

Opened on 21 October 1999, Orchard Library was originally located at Ngee Ann City. However, as the lease at Ngee Ann City was not renewed, the library closed on 30 November 2007. Fortunately, that did not mark the end of the existence of a library in the Orchard area. On 23 October 2014, Orchard Library reopened, this time at Orchard Gateway.

If you have not visited this awesome place on the countless times you have been to Orchard Road, allow me to bring you on a little tour with my blog post. But do remember to visit it in-person next time!

1. How To Get To Orchard Library

The address of Orchard Library is:
277 Orchard Road
Orchard Gateway #03-12/ #04-11
Singapore 238858

Orchard Gateway is directly connected to Somerset MRT Station, alongside Orchard Central and 313@Somserset. These three malls, together with Hotel Jen, are built in a cluster with the buildings seamlessly joined so wayfinding may not be so straightforward.

But fret not, as long as you can locate Guzman Y Gomez or 4 Fingers Crispy Chicken, you are in the right building. Simply take the escalator behind these restaurants to Level 3 or Level 4 and you will be able to find Orchard Library easily.

2. Opening Hours

The opening hours of Orchard Library are:
Monday – Sunday: 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.

The library is closed at 5 p.m. on eves of Christmas, New Year and Chinese New Year.

The library is closed on public holidays.

The bookdrop and reservation lockers hours are subjected to the opening hours of the mall, which is 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.

3. Borrowing Station & Book Drop

Borrowing of items can be done using the National Library Board (NLB) mobile app or at the borrowing station located within the library.

The maximum loan period for all books, ebooks, audio-visual materials and music scores is 21 days. Apart from audio-visual materials, the loan period for other items can be renewed for another 21 days subject to certain terms and conditions. Do check with the library on this.

Do remember to return the borrowed items on time to avoid overdue fines. For each book, magazine or CD-ROM with an accompanying book, the fine is $0.15 per day. For each audio-visual material, the fine is $0.50 per day.

The book drop of Orchard Library is located on Level 4 just beside the entrance.

The notice displayed at the book drop area says:

1. Do check the library items for any damage and return only NLB items at the book drop.

2. Please alert the staff if any of the following is encountered:
– waterlogged items
– stains/ scribbles
– missing/ torn pages
– damaged discs
– mismatched discs

3. Please be responsible by taking care of the library items that you borrow.

4. A Tour Of Orchard Library

As a middle-aged person (ahem.. stretching my stiff back and adjusting my presbyopia lenses as I type this), I have witnessed the transformation of libraries over the past few decades. There has definitely been a more futuristic approach in the interior design of libraries and I applaud it. An element of fun and surprise is almost always incorporated in the newer designs, either subtly or conspicuously, encouraging patrons to explore every inch of the space.

Long gone are the boringly neat arrangement of rows and rows of bookshelves in a stifling space where the four walls could be keenly felt. At Orchard Library, white wavy bookshelves stand in place, making a bold statement in the sense of interior aesthetics. These bookshelves usher patrons along a mildly winding path, taking them through books of various genres and disciplines arranged neatly.

With such astounding interior, it may be hard for any patron on the first visit to resist taking a picture or two. Orchard Library has specially curated a spot for you to take your best picture of the amazing array of shelves from an elevated point. This spot is at the staircase linking the two levels of the library.

The picture below is taken right at the photography spot. The white, wavy bookshelves are truly a sight to behold!

There are more at the other end of the staircase landing. You can also see a stepped seating area where you can just plug in to one of the many power points and work through the day on your laptop, provided your legs do not turn numb after sitting cross-legged on the floor. The gentle orange lights diffusing from the orange lanterns certainly give out a zen kind of feel.

If you prefer a well-lit area to peruse your final year thesis on your laptop or read a book, there are seats by the full-length windows on Level 4 overlooking Somerset Skate Park and Exit A of Somerset MRT Station.

Another well-lit area is on Level 3 near the library entrance where the rooms are. There are a few large tables which are perfect for working on a laptop, as well as rows of seats. Personally, I do not particularly like to sit in this area because of the lack of personal space – be it at one of the tables or at the seats, you will be in super close distance to the one sitting next to you which I find quite uncomfortable. Fortunately for zealous personal space protectors like me, individual seats are available on Level 4. These coveted seats overlook the seating area with orange lanterns (see above). I apologise for the lack of photos of this seating area.

I am sure you will also be happy to know that the seating capacity of Orchard Library is a good 180, spread across the two levels.

Orchard Library occupies a gross area of 1700 square metres and is the first two-storey NLB library in a shopping mall. It is interesting to note that Level 3 is called ‘The Studio’ while Level 4 is called ‘The Loft’.

If you are a fan of fiction, then Level 3 is where you can take your pick of novels across the different genres – romance, mystery, horror, thriller, science fiction, action-adventure etc.

Being a design-focused library, Orchard Library is a book haven for people who are intent on pursuing design interests. On Level 4, you will be able to find a vast collection of non-fiction books relating to architecture, landscape design, industrial design, photography, typography, advertising, packaging and the list goes on. Books on lifestyle topics like wellness, gastronomy, etiquette and travelogues can also be found on this level.

On Level 4, you will also be able to find an extensive collection of design magazines. The covers of these magazines are featured on the “Magazine Wall”, located near the entrance.

One display within Orchard Library that really caught my attention was ‘Zines’ (pronounced as ‘zeens’). This is found right below the staircase connecting the two levels of Orchard Library. According to the explanatory board, ‘zines’ are DIY self-published works of text and images produced in small batches. Creators of these works are not bound by any rules as to what makes a ‘zine’ so they are free to experiment with this medium to as far as their creativity would take them.

The selection of ‘zines’ on display was created by participants of the Pro Series: Zine Design workshops conducted in 2021-2022. In partnership with talented local artists, NLB held these workshops for the community and the result was an incredible variety of zines made by the participants.

“Flats” by Chao and “Dumpling” by Hana were two of the displays I managed to see during my visit. The little booklets featuring their works were placed in the many slots of the artistically designed wall under the staircase for members of the public to bring home. This staircase is not only a means for people to get from one level to the other but also a stage for budding artists to showcase their works. Brilliant use of space indeed!

This marks the end of my post on Orchard Library. If you are interested to know more about newer libraries, do check out my other post on Library@Harbourfront!

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