Latest news with #Punggol
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
1.5 million loans, 840,000 visitors and counting, NLB's mobile libraries keep reading accessible
SINGAPORE – Every other Saturday, Ms Hirma Sheeryn and her children like to take a walk – not to the mall, park or playground, but to visit Molly. The National Library Board's (NLB) mobile library, affectionately called 'Molly', has since 2022 become a regular sight in the 35-year-old homemaker's Punggol neighbourhood, where it stays for half a day. With four children in tow, Ms Sheeryn appreciates that it takes them just under five minutes to get to Molly, compared with a journey to her nearest library, Punggol Regional Library at One Punggol lifestyle hub, which is about five LRT stops away from her home. She and her two daughters, aged seven and nine, who are the more frequent visitors in the family to the mobile library, enjoy the variety of books among the 3,000 titles carried by the bright blue bus. The two girls have been more interested in reading since visiting Molly, she said. They are among 840,000 users who have visited Molly since it first hit the roads in 2008. The places include pre-schools, special education (Sped) schools and voluntary welfare organisations. Over the past decade, the mobile library service has chalked up nearly 1.56 million book loans. In 2024 alone, it lent more than 116,000 books. It is among initiatives in Singapore to boost access to reading for underserved communities. Since Molly's inception, the fleet has grown to three vehicles – besides the bigger one, two smaller ones were launched in 2014, said Ms Tan Chui Peng, director of public libraries at NLB. Big Molly visits two locations daily, holds up to 15 adults or 25 children, with space for up to five wheelchairs, and carries 3,000 books. The mini Mollys were set up to bring the library experience to younger children aged six and below, and were built to navigate smaller roads near pre-schools. They operate on weekdays, and can each accommodate 12 to 15 children and two adults, with a collection of 1,500 books. Molly visits Sped schools and social service agencies monthly, and the mini Mollys visit pre-schools at least twice a year. Since April 2014, the mobile libraries have made at least 8,000 visits to various sites, said Ms Tan, with the most visited being Pathlight School, which has three campuses. They have also recently been visiting primary schools that have a high number of pupils who receive financial assistance, Ms Tan said, as well as nursing homes, which they hope to visit more. A 2025 study by the National Institute of Education (NIE) and NLB, which focused on low-income families living in rental flats, looked at the reading resources of 37 families. Over six months, it sought to find out whether children who visited a mobile library experienced reading enjoyment, frequency and proficiency. The households in the study had limited books at home and little exposure to reading in either English or mother tongue languages. Of the families surveyed, 43 per cent were found to have never visited public libraries at all owing to a lack of time, concerns about book damage and unfamiliarity with borrowing books. They were also unaware of the mobile library service's existence, or did not know they could borrow books from the bus. For families who did start visiting a mobile library regularly, the study found that the children became more excited about reading, showed improved vocabulary and print recognition, and made book-borrowing a part of their routine. Parents said they appreciated the convenience and less intimidating atmosphere compared with public libraries. Associate Professor Loh Chin Ee of NIE, the study's principal investigator, said that Molly brought books and library resources to neighbourhoods in a friendly and cosier setting, which can help to address the literacy gap in low-income communities. 'Molly has the potential to help families become more familiar with library resources,' said Prof Loh, adding that regular use over some time builds routine. Still, even with better physical access to books, psychological and social barriers – like potential costs or unfamiliarity with library systems – still deter some families. Simple outreach efforts, such as placing Molly's schedule in lift lobbies or sending WhatsApp reminders, could boost engagement, the study suggested. Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction Discover how to enjoy other premium articles here
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Michelin-recognised stalls in Punggol Coast's newly opened hawker centre
Punggol Coast residents, it's time to celebrate. Punggol Coast Hawker Centre is now open, with its 40 stalls and 680 seats. So, what's good to eat? Well, all the stalls marked with the iconic Michelin Man should give you an idea! Punggol Coast Hawker Centre's opening line-up includes Michelin Bib Gourmand winner Singapore Fried Hokkien Mee, as well as the Michelin Selected nominees Hock Hai Curry Chicken Noodles, Pin Wei Hong Kong Style Chee Cheong Fun and Whampoa Traditional Fried Oyster. Pin Wei's fare features their (S$3.50), Char Siew (S$4.50), Prawns (S$5.50) and Scallop (S$6.50). These thin, silky sheets of rice flour batter encase fresh ingredients. Everything is pulled together into a cohesive dish through the generous drizzle of soy-based sauce. This soupy goodness is packed with umami to give you the most flavourful, indulgent bite. If you're looking for an atas dish to brighten your day, Old Nyonya has got your back. The Royal Laksa (S$15) is packed with whole crayfish tails, prawns and scallops. Sweet, fresh seafood pairs perfectly with the spicy and coconut-y laksa soup for the ultimate experience. Chicky Papa Western Food is here to satisfy your crunchy fried food cravings. The Aglio Olio Fish Cutlet (S$7.50) might seem carb-heavy with both breading and spaghetti, but don't knock it till you've had a taste! Looking for a spicy kick? Tidjai Thai Food has just the thing with their Thai Green Curry Chicken (S$7 for Small, S$9 for Regular, S$11 for Large). To cleanse the palate, the Thai Mango Salad (S$6) is the perfect light and refreshing mouthful. So, if you're living in the area or looking for new places to makan, why not take a trip to Punggol Coast Hawker Centre? It's even linked to both the bus interchange and MRT station via Punggol Coast Mall, so don't worry about getting burned in the sun or drenched in rain! Home Singapore: Brunch cafe by day, livehouse serving Chinese-style dishes by night The post Michelin-recognised stalls in Punggol Coast's newly opened hawker centre appeared first on
CNA
6 days ago
- CNA
Court orders 15-year-old caught repeatedly with vapes to be placed in boys' home
SINGAPORE: A 15-year-old boy who was caught with electronic vaporisers on five occasions has been ordered by a court to be placed in a boys' home. The boy, who cannot be named as he is under 18, will be placed at the Singapore Boys' Home for two years. According to a statement from the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) on Thursday (Jul 24), he was given five charges for each occasion he was found in possession of a vape device. He received another 15 charges from the Singapore Police Force in the hearing in the Youth Courts, which is not open to the public or the media. Under the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act, it is illegal to possess, purchase or use electronic vaporisers in Singapore. The five vape-related incidents occurred over a span of 10 months. On Feb 4 last year, the boy had one vape set at a void deck in Punggol. On Mar 19 the same year, he was found with two vapes at a McDonald's outlet in Nex shopping mall. On May 30, he had one device at Sin Ming Avenue and less than two weeks later, he was caught with another vape in the same area. The last incident took place in October 2024 at Serangoon Central. The penalty for possessing a vape device is a fine of up to S$2,000.
CNA
23-07-2025
- General
- CNA
What's Coming Up - Talking Point On Wild Neighbours In Our Midst: The Monkeys
Monkeys are in the headlines again and it seems they've found a new target - Punggol. Talking Point asked viewers for their encounters and tracked the monkeys from nature reserves to your homes! Can we find a way to live with our wild neighbours…or is this conflict here to stay?
CNA
16-07-2025
- Automotive
- CNA
ComfortDelGro training bus drivers to operate autonomous vehicles
Bus drivers in Singapore are being trained to take on new safety roles on autonomous vehicles, as more driverless vehicles are expected to hit the roads. ComfortDelGro is putting its first batch of 11 drivers through a programme to learn to monitor and control AVs. This, as the government recently announced plans to roll out public AV buses in Punggol by end-2025. Eugene Chow reports.
