NLB teams up with Rakuten Kobo for new hybrid reading space in City Square Mall

SINGAPORE – A new space offering people the chance to browse both physical and e-books was launched in the City Square Mall in Little India on Oct 19, to encourage people to read more.

In a media release on the same day, the National Library Board (NLB) said it has teamed up with e-book and e-reader provider Rakuten Kobo – in its first standalone presence here – to create a hybrid Sit-n-Read Node, from Oct 19 to April 11, 2027.

Located on the mall’s third floor and open from 10am to 10pm daily, patrons will be able to browse e-books using Kobo e-reader devices there, along with NLB pre-loved physical books at dedicated seating areas and reading nooks.

The Kobo e-readers will offer readers snippets from a curated digital collection, with the hope that they explore new genres and content.

If they find something they like, they can then borrow the full e-books via the NLB Mobile app, and continue to read on their personal devices on the go, NLB said.

Physical pre-loved books are also available for all ages, and can be taken home without borrowing. However, NLB said it encourages everyone to bring the books back, so others can have a chance to read them as well.

This initiative is part of NLB’s ongoing efforts to promote reading here and build a nation of readers under its ReadSG initiative by making reading more exciting, accessible, and integrated into everyday spaces, the board added.

“By bringing Sit-n-Read Nodes into high-footfall lifestyle spaces like City Square Mall, we are transforming ordinary spaces into inviting reading corners where people can discover books and enjoy a good read wherever they go,” NLB’s chief executive officer Melissa Tam said.

Julian Chou, general manager of Rakuten Kobo Asia, said: “Bringing Kobo e-readers together with NLB’s collections gives visitors a chance to explore digital reading for themselves and discover how a good book can become part of their daily routine.”

Another Sit-n-Read Node was also launched on Oct 19, at Anchorpoint at Alexandra Road. It features pre-loved magazines for browsing, as well as a Browse-n-Borrow kiosk which also allows patrons to collect reserved items, as the nearby Queenstown Library undergoes renovations.

The Sit-n-Read Nodes have been progressively opened since Aug 2025, welcoming 400,000 visitors in total so far.

The ReadSG, a new five-year national reading movement, was launched by NLB on September to get people to do at least 15-minutes of reading each day.