Studying in the library may be an integral part of many student’s memories of their campus life. In this new semester, freshmen have a chance to be acquainted with a brand-new library experience.
Located at the heart of the campus, conveniently above the canteen, the NIE Library is the largest education library in Singapore. Boasting a growing collection of nearly 800,000 items including books, journals, audio-visual materials as well as a plethora of online resources, it is the only library in Singapore that specialises in providing resources on education-related topics.
Main Lending Collection
A casual stroll along the horseshoe, sun-lit aisles of the library will reveal the location of the bulk of its print collection. The entire floor on level 4 houses the Main Lending Collection. With towering shelves stretching from the tip of the left wing to the end of the right wing where the Photocopy and Printing services office is located, this expansive area houses books related to disciplinary areas taught in NIE, as well as education-related books.
Arranged according to the Library of Congress Classification system, the subject categories include Psychology, History, Geography, Statistics, Economics, Social Sciences, Music, Arts, Language and Literature, Sciences, Sports and Exercise, with a sizable portion on Education. For those who enjoy thumbing through the pages, look out for the cosy nooks tucked near the full glass windows.
E-books
A growing proportion of the books collection is now online. Provided by different publishers, these ebooks may be read online, checked out or downloaded for limited periods. Look out for titles that can be downloaded in their entirety with no limits on the loan duration. These would form useful personal libraries for your reference when you are posted to schools.
C.J. Koh Collection
For those who use the library catalogue to search for titles, you may come across the location “C.J. Koh Collection (Level 4)”. The C.J. Koh Collection is a collection which was first established by a donation from the late Mr. Koh Choon Joo.
Books in this collection focus on teachers, teacher education, training, and pedagogy. These books are shelved together with the books in the Main Lending Collection. Look out for a sticker on the book spine that distinguish books in the C.J. Koh Collection from others.
Singapore Education Resources
Looking for books on Singapore education-related topics? Chances are, you will encounter books with locations “Singapore Education Resources”. The Singapore Education Resources Collection, or SEDU for short, is another thematic collection in the NIE Library. This collection focuses on Singapore-related educational topics. It is also an archival collection, and therefore not available on the shelves for browsing.
Access is via request only and only on the library premises. Most titles in the SEDU collection will also have a copy in the Main Lending collection that is available for borrowing.
Red Spot
The Red Spot Collection is probably a familiar part of a library collection to any undergraduate. In NIE Library, books in the Red Spot collection are available for 2-hour loans. Besides the usual recommended texts, you will also find the full set of PSLE, GCE N, O and A Level examination papers, as well as the Cambridge Examiners’ Reports.
You may not know that the Red Spot titles can be borrowed overnight. Just borrow the book two hours before the close of the Loan Counter and return before 11 am on the next library opening day. So, this means that during Term time, when the Loan Counter closes at 7.30 pm, overnight loan for Red Spot books starts at 5.30 pm on Fridays. You can return the book before 11 am on Saturday.
Regardless of whether you are a diploma, undergraduate, or graduate student, a wealth of resources resides in the library, awaiting your discovery. So, check it out and enrich your learning journey today!
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