120 Stories: Celebrating Our Transformative Journey through NUS Libraries’ Collections

By Wong Kah Wei and Nur Diyana Abdul Kader

 

Stories are told about experiences, the sharing of journeys, lessons learned, and the emotions that shaped our lives. But stories can also emerge from a pile of government documents, a reference list of academic publications, a folder of newspapers, a database of dissertations, books on a shelf, an old manuscript, a heavy tome – all from the collections of a library. These materials either individually or curated – tell stories which cultivate curiousity, inspire ideas, open minds, confront conventions, and encourage explorations.

“120 Stories” of NUS Libraries offer a glimpse into the diverse and invaluable collections that have shaped our academic landscape over the years. These collections whether intentionally curated or developed through the years such as the Singapore/Malaysia Collection, the Chinese in Southeast Asia Collection, the Rare Book Collection, the Biodiversity Library of Southeast Asia, the Historical Newspaper Collection and many more — tell the story of how NUS Libraries has supported teaching, learning, and research for over a century.

Within these collections, we see the evolution of curriculum, research priorities, and social and educational concerns. From rare manuscripts to journals, along with the artworks in our collections, these materials offer a valuable resource that draws researchers from across the world. By telling stories about our collections, rare materials, artworks and unique spaces, librarians celebrate their significance and honor 120 years of progress and innovation in supporting learning and research at our university.

Each story provides a unique perspective on our collections and materials, as seen through the lens of a librarian who is not only the custodian of knowledge but also as a storyteller. These stories highlight the importance and uniqueness of each collection, text, or artwork in the context of scholarship, teaching, and learning. The goal is to inspire readers to explore further, delve deeper into our collections, and broaden their understanding beyond what they have previously encountered. The stories are also about specific physical spaces or notable design features of the library. Admired for their aesthetic appeal and distinctiveness, these areas remain vital hubs for collaboration and intellectual exchange.

As we commemorate NUS’ 120th anniversary, we celebrate with you the many opportunities to explore and to learn from our collections. We hope you enjoy our stories, discover the new, and honor the old, just as we have enjoyed sharing them with you.

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