BRANCH LIBRARY IN JURONG TOWN

Mr Low Guan Onn asked the Minister for Culture whether the National Library plans to set up a branch library in Jurong Town for the benefit of the workers and their school-going children in the area, or, alternatively, to send the mobile library to the Town at least once a week.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Culture (Mr Fong Sip Chee) (for the Minister for Culture): Mr Speaker, Sir, I appreciate the concern shown by the hon. Member for River Valley in asking for library services for the workers and their school-going children residing in Jurong. The present facilities of the National Library, especially mobile services, are still short of requirements. And on consideration of priorities, it has been possible to serve only 11 of the more densely populated areas in Singapore. The needs of Jurong have been considered and it is hoped that we can operate a weekly mobile service for Jurong sometime at the end of this year or at the beginning of 1969.

The more ambitious suggestion for a branch library for this area covering the Jurong industrial complex must, unfortunately, wait some time for particular consideration. With our funds and policy for the present and the foreseeable future, we have to operate on the minimum requirements of a resident population of 250,000 for a branch library. In the case of Jurong, it has not yet reached that stage.