Singapore has launched ReadSG, a five-year national movement led by the National Library Board (NLB) to encourage people of all ages to develop sustainable reading habits, with President Tharman Shanmugaratnam officiating the launch at the National Library Building.
The launch also marks the start of September as National Reading Month, a month-long celebration featuring reading related activities and programmes across libraries islandwide. Readers, writers, publishers, reading ambassadors and advocates gathered for the launch, alongside more than 40 partners from the education, healthcare, arts, community and media sectors.
President Tharman, who is Patron of ReadSG and Guest-of-Honour, was joined by Mrs Josephine Teo, Minister for Digital Development and Information, who hosted the event, and Mdm Rahayu Mahzam, Minister of State for Digital Development and Information. Partners involved include the Early Childhood Development Agency, Ministry of Education, Agency for Integrated Care, Health Promotion Board, Ministry of Digital Development and Information, National Arts Council, People’s Association, Singapore Book Publishers Association, SPH Media and Mediacorp.
Six reading ambassadors were also present, including authors and educators Felix Cheong, Norlin Samat and Sivanantham Neelakandan. Working with NLB, the ambassadors will support efforts to make reading a regular part of everyday life. ReadSG encourages people to start with a manageable goal of just 15 minutes of reading each day.
One of the key initiatives is the ReadSG Challenge, which invites participants to read for at least 15 minutes a day and track their progress through CrowdTask SG, a citizen engagement platform developed by GovTech Singapore. Participants can set personal goals, maintain reading streaks, earn experience points and collect virtual coins that can be redeemed for rewards.
The ReadSG Challenge will run as a pilot from 6 September to 31 December 2026, with enhancements and new features planned based on participant feedback. NLB aims to attract 150,000 users by September 2027. Participants can also visit selected NLB and partner events between September and November to redeem bonus rewards, including limited edition library charms.
Another major initiative is Read for Good, NLB’s annual charity reading drive formerly known as Read For Books. Running from 6 September to 7 October 2026, the campaign aims to reach 7.5 million reading minutes and raise up to $150,000 to support less privileged communities.
Every 15 minutes of reading recorded during the campaign contributes towards the fundraising effort, with support going to kidsREAD, MINDS and Preschool Market through reading and learning aids, as well as book donations from sponsors. Reading sessions logged through the ReadSG Challenge during September will automatically contribute to Read for Good.
National Reading Month will also feature Reading in the Age of Distraction, a series of four seminars taking place on 5, 12, 19 and 26 September. The programme brings together local and international thinkers to explore the science of reading and how people can read well in the digital age.
Families and book lovers can also look forward to the Big Book Giveaway on 19 and 20 September at The Plaza, National Library Building. Around 60,000 pre-loved library books will be available for the public to take home free of charge, with each participant able to select up to 10 books and audio-visual items. Members of the public can also contribute their own pre-loved books to the initiative.
Other programmes include Love Our Libraries and Archives, running throughout September, and Book Bugs: The Secret of the Shards, a reading campaign for children aged seven to 12 that runs from August 2026 to June 2027. The latest Book Bugs edition features 100-character cards, an immersive storyline, reading activities and community events, while encouraging children to borrow materials in English and Mother Tongue Languages.
NLB will continue the ReadSG movement with programmes throughout the coming months. Get It Now, running from September 2026 to March 2027, will offer instant access to a featured popular eBook on the first Friday of each month for a limited time through Libby and the NLB Mobile app.
Families can also look forward to Early READ Fiesta programmes, including Pre-Fiesta sessions at Bedok, Bukit Batok and Choa Chu Kang libraries in October and November, followed by the main Early READ Fiesta at Woodlands, Punggol, Central and Jurong libraries between November 2026 and March 2027. The programme is themed “Where Reading Meets Discovery” and will feature interactive, sensory and hands-on activities for young children and families.
Other upcoming initiatives include the Time of Your Life Celebration for active and joyful ageing, Readers Assemble: A Marvel Festival at Punggol Library, the Kobo x Sit-n-Read Node in collaboration with Rakuten Kobo, Thrive@Libraries: Permission to Pause, and A Book A Day for families with children aged zero to six.
A Book A Day, launching from January 2027, will provide participating families with a reading journal, monthly reading tips and invitations to special reading programmes designed to make shared reading a regular part of family life.
Through ReadSG, NLB is positioning reading as a simple daily habit that can be built gradually. With the 15-minute daily challenge, charity initiatives, family programmes and reading experiences planned across Singapore, the movement aims to make reading more accessible and relevant to people at different stages of life.
