By Serene Luo

LIKE a fairytale wish, Orchard Road's beloved library is set to return a few hundred metres from its original home.

Book lovers bemoaned the closure of the library@orchard when it put up the shutters at the Ngee Ann City site in November 2007.

But in late 2012 or early 2013, the Orchard Library will move into the Specialists' Centre hotel-retail development, or better known as the old Specialists' Shopping Centre and Hotel Phoenix opposite Centrepoint.

Announcing this in his addendum to the President's speech, Acting Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts Lui Tuck Yew said his ministry would 'continue to invest in the creative minds and skills of our people' despite the downturn. 'We will upgrade our libraries to provide Singaporeans with lifelong access to learning resources and opportunities,' Rear-Admiral (NS) Lui said.

Similar to the old library@orchard, the new one will 'incorporate aspects to appeal to those aged between 18 and 40 years old', though the concept is still being refined, a Mica spokesman said.

The old library was one of the first 'lifestyle libraries' that the National Library Board (NLB) opened. It stocked books, magazines and DVDs which appealed to youth, and organised live musical performances and exhibitions in its in-built performing space. The formula worked, with 1.4 million visitors using the library annually.

In 2007, it had to close because its lease was not renewed. It had been paying rent below prevailing market rates for its space, a spokesman for the property said then. But NLB chief executive officer N. Varaprasad said the library would not be gone forever.

Piling works are ongoing on the site next to Somerset MRT station, said a spokesman for OCBC Bank, which owns the parcel of land where the new library will stand.

Recent graduate Stephanie Song, 22, said she had missed the old library for its convenient location. 'I go to Orchard quite often, so it'll be a nice hangout.'

Separately, RADM Lui announced that Clementi would get its own library too, which is expected to open in 2011 in Clementi Central, pending negotiations.

This article was first published in The Straits Times.