Library@esplanade

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Library@esplanade

Overview
Library@esplanade was Singapore’s first public library dedicated to the performing arts. Run by the National Library Board, it opened in 2002 and was located on the third floor of Esplanade Mall in Marina Centre, within the Esplanade arts complex in downtown Singapore. It was among the few libraries in the world housed inside a performing arts venue and was the second boutique library in Singapore after Library@Orchard. It did not have children’s books.

Location and purpose
The library sat on the Esplanade Mall’s third floor, inside Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay. Its aim was to bring the performing arts—music, dance, theatre and film—to the general public and vice versa, making the arts more approachable and less elitist.

Amenities
Spanning about 2,300 square metres, the space was arranged into four “villages” for music, dance, theatre and film, all on one level to support creativity, learning and entertainment. Notable features included:
- Innovation Gallery for exhibitions
- A performing stage with a glass projection wall
- A grand piano and a practice room with a piano and an electronic keyboard
- Screening rooms with home-theatre setups
- Music sampling posts and a dance alley
- A “Silent” Studio for electronic drums and other instruments
- A special collection room with an archive on Singapore’s performing arts
- A café operated by a private vendor

Collection
The library started with about 50,000 volumes in print and electronic formats. Subjects covered history, biography, instructional texts, periodicals, magazines, screenplays, plays and scripts, dance notation, and music scores. It also housed audio-visual materials such as classical, jazz and pop CDs, DVDs, VCDs and videotapes of performances, along with journals, encyclopedias and reference directories. The collection was internationally oriented but emphasized Singapore and Asian performing arts. It did not include children’s books.

Programs and exhibitions
Library@esplanade collaborated with local artists and groups to offer programs for diverse audiences. Regular events included Esplanade Festival programs, pre-concert talks with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, music performances and recitals, talks by industry professionals, and film screenings. Most programs took place on weekends at the Open Stage, with ongoing listings posted on the library’s Facebook page. Exhibitions were shown in four areas: Glass Display, Innovation Gallery, Dance Village and Music Village, featuring topics such as Cultural Medallion recipients and MusicSG displays, plus costume displays.

Closure and what happened next
On May 2, 2023, the National Library Board announced that Library@esplanade would permanently close on June 30, 2023. Its collections and programs were moved to the National Library Building in the Civic District. Esplanade planned to turn the Library@esplanade space into arts and commercial spaces.