Rekindle Your Love for Reading with Read! Fest 2021

After a year of hiatus, the national reading movement returns with over 60 programs!  

The seventh edition of Read! Fest 2021 returns from 25 Jun to 18 Jul 2021 with a host of exciting new programs, ranging from literary trails and installations to reading sessions and panel discussions with international and local speakers.

The festive programmes, which are mostly online, will be anchored by Read! Fest’s 12 key English, Chinese, Malay, and Tamil books and topics.

Here are 6 highlights of this year’s reading festival, themed ‘Reboot’.

1. 12 Recommended Reads

12 English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil books will be featured as this year’s Read! Fest recommended reads. These books present new perspectives on living in the 21st century especially during these uncertain times. The English books are available in both physical and eBooks formats; while the Chinese, Malay and Tamil books are available as physical books in our public libraries. Availability of these books can be checked through the NLB mobile app.

2. Self-guided Literary Trails

One of the main highlights of this year’s festival is be the interactive self-guided literary trails located at three sites - West Coast Park, East Coast Park and the ground floor Plaza of the National Library Building.

Titled “The Curious Adventure of The Salaryman”, participants will be led by a digital protagonist navigating his own adventure to reinvent himself from his tiresome routine. Accessible from mid-July to Sep, the interactive trail will bring participants on a multi-sensory reading experience through the various pitstops of the trail.

3. Reboot-inspired Interactive Installations

Reboot-inspired installations will be set up at seven public libraries - Woodlands Regional Library, Jurong Regional Library, Tampines Regional Library, Yishun Public Library, Seng Kang Public Library, Serangoon Public Library and Toa Payoh Public Library. Through the station activities, you are invited to take a moment to rejuvenate and unwind; to expand your knowledge and gain new perspectives; or to simply reflect on how you felt during the past year.

4. Read for Books

Read for Books is a charity book drive to raise awareness and share the gift of reading with the less privileged. From 10 to 26 July 2021, for every 10 people who read for 15 minutes, one book will be donated to selected beneficiaries. To participate, you have to first register online.

5. The Big Book Giveaway

The Big Book Giveaway (BBG) is an annual community event by the National Library Board where pre-loved books can be taken home for free. This year, BBG is travelling out into the community to spread the joy of reading through mini-BBGs in the public libraries! From 15 - 18 July, look out for a mini-BBG book corner near you to select some pre-loved books, while stocks last.

Mini-BBGs will be hosted in our public libraries except library@orchard, library@esplanade and library@chinatown.

6. Human Library Reinvented

Borrow a musician, craftsman and natural history curator and uncover their stories! Read! Fest 2021 brings together a musician, craftsman and natural history curator with penchants for reinvention in this digital “Human Library”. Intimate and illuminating in equal parts, this fresh format deconstructs the traditional library experience and allows participants to enjoy personalised conversations with the featured speakers.

Images: National Library Board