NEIGHBOURHOOD LIBRARY IN POTONG PASIR ESTATE

Mr Chiam See Tong asked the Acting Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts whether he is willing to open a neigbourhood library in Potong Pasir Estate this year and, if not, whether he is willing to assist the Potong Pasir Town Council to secure a void deck space to start a library there.

The Acting Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts (Mr David T. E. Lim): Mr Speaker, Sir, I assume the neighbourhood library which Mr Chiam is asking for Potong Pasir is a community children's library, or CCL.

CCLs form the third-tier of libraries under the network of libraries managed by the National Library Board (NLB). The first tier is our regional libraries, the second tier, community libraries and in the third tier, community children libraries. Compared to the larger regional and community libraries, the CCLs are not the most cost-effective. They help to bring the books closer to the children, but they do so at a higher cost.

The NLB must therefore be satisfied that there is both a sufficient level of demand and sustainable support from the community before deciding to build a CCL. To be assured of the support from the community, the NLB would build a CCL only if there is a broad based community organisation to share both the building and the running costs. If Mr Chiam can present a case to show that there is demand for such a facility, and that he can ensure the support and long term commitment from his community, then NLB will consider his proposal.

Mr Chiam See Tong: This time, I am happy to note that the Ministry is willing to give support to the application for CCL. First of all, may I know what sort of readership and what level of readership would the Ministry allow for a CCL to be built?

Mr David Lim: Sir, CCLs cater for young readers. The rationale here is that for young readers, that with an added convenience of having a library in the neighbourhood makes it easier for the parents to bring their children down to the library. So it caters primarily for young readers, up until about Primary 4 or 5.

Mr Chiam See Tong: If we want to apply for facilities to build a CCL, we have to take a survey to see the number of children in that estate. How many children are required before we can apply?

Mr David Lim: Sir, I think how Mr Chiam makes his case is really up to him, whether he wants to do a survey or whether he has got some other means to do so. I think what NLB would want to be satisfied with is that there is demand to support a CCL. And that there is not just demand, but also a broad-based community organisation that can ensure that they would provide the on-going support for the CCL. It takes quite a lot of money to run a CCL. From our experience with other CCLs, there is a contribution of a start-up capital cost. Then, there is also a contribution of an annual operating cost. So if you can satisfy these conditions, then NLB would consider.

Mr Chiam See Tong: The second part of the question is whether or not the Ministry is willing to persuade HDB to wall up an area at the void deck. If they wall it up, I think we will try to get the finances and if the town council and the residents there are willing to do it themselves, will the Ministry be willing to let us do it.

Mr David Lim: Sir, we have got to take this issue one step at a time. I think first, you have got to establish that there is a case to build a CCL before you talk about walling up the space. Walling up the space in a HDB void deck, well, that will entail a whole host of other issues, which is whether you have a suitable space, whether the residents would have adequate space for other uses in void decks. That is a separate issue. The first issue is to establish whether there is demand and whether there is support.

Mr Chiam See Tong: What the town council at Potong Pasir is just asking is only a walled-up space by the HDB and after that, I think the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts will leave the rest to us. If the residents there, with the cooperation of the town council are willing to do it, why is the Ministry putting up all kinds of reasons and barriers to make it so difficult to start up a library?

Mr David Lim: Mr Speaker, Sir, Mr Chiam has changed his question somewhat. I thought he asked me whether I would consider a neighbourhood library or CCL in his precinct, and for that, I have answered his question by saying that yes, you can do so if you can make a case for demand and support, and that we can make that to the NLB. And if you want to be part of the NLB network of library systems, the NLB must have a say in this. It costs quite a lot of money to run a good library and I do not think that NLB would be prepared to invest that sum of money unless they could be assured that they have got a partner that is able to assure them that they would deliver benefits and is able to bear that part of the burden.

As to whether you want to wall up the space, that is an HDB matter - it has nothing to do with my Ministry. You can take it up with HDB.