Career Chronicles: Stories Across Generations

Important Notice

This programme/event is open to members of the National Library Board, Singapore and those who are aged 50 years and above. Please ensure you have your myLibrary username on hand before proceeding with the registration. If you do not have a myLibrary username, you can create one here: https://account.nlb.gov.sg/. 

About the Programme/Event

The library is now open for browsing! What is special about this library you ask? Paper-bound books are nowhere to be found! Instead, you will discover a fascinating array of individuals, each with their own stories to share about their unique journeys, passions, and experiences. Borrow a human ‘book’ to hear their inspirational tales and chronicles of work and life.  

Get up close and personal with dynamic pairs of individuals who represent a diverse range of age groups and professions such as authors, dancers, makers, engineers, and social workers. Gain firsthand insights into how their professions have evolved over the years and uncover the invaluable lessons they have learned from their peers and each other.  

Enjoy an afternoon of conversation and stories. 

Sign up now!

About Our Human 'Books'

Osman Abdul Hamid and Norhaizad Adam

Osman Abdul Hamid is a distinguished figure in Singapore's cultural scene, especially within the Malay/Muslim community. His significant contributions to Malay dance have earned him several prestigious awards, including the Public Service Medal (PBM), the Cultural Medallion — Singapore's highest artistic honour — in 2023, and the Steward of Intangible Cultural Heritage Award in 2024. These accolades highlight his unwavering commitment to preserving and promoting the cultural and artistic traditions of the Malay community. He currently serves as the Artistic Director of Era Dance Theatre Ltd.

Norhaizad Adam is a Malay dance artist from Singapore. He performs and choreographs for unconventional community spaces, galleries, and theatres. In 2021, he received the National Arts Council’s Young Artist Award. Central to his Malay dance practice is considering the performativity of the everyday gestures and accessing tradition as a tool kit for living in contemporary times and the imagined future. Currently, he is the Artistic Director of P7:1SMA (Prisma), a dance performance company that hopes to radically shift the perspective of Malay identity and dance through innovative performance experiences.

Josephine Chia and Theophilius Kwek

Josephine Chia was born and brought up in Kampong Potong Pasir in 1950s Singapore. She writes both fiction and non-fiction, particularly about her Peranakan heritage and her impoverished Kampong upbringing. Her latest book will be launched at the Singapore Writers Festival in November 2024. Josephine has won literary awards and prizes both locally in Singapore and overseas. She has written 14 books thus far, most of which draw inspiration from aspects of Singapore’s social history and culture. Notably, her non-fiction book, Kampong Spirit Gotong Royong, won the Singapore Literature Prize in 2014. Josephine shares her extensive knowledge and experience to mentor the next generation of writers.

Theophilus Kwek has published four full-length collections of poetry, two of which were shortlisted for the Singapore Literature Prize. He is the 2023 winner of the Cikada Prize, and part of the Forbes 30 Under 30 Class of 2024. His most recent collection is Moving House, published by Carcanet Press.

Ho Hew Lee and Brent Wettlaufer

Ho Hew Lee, aged 81, possesses adept web development and social media navigation skills. Over the past decade, he has been leading a monthly community gathering at the library@harbourfront known as the Digital Café. Leveraging his expertise as a retired engineer, he equips seniors with essential internet browsing skills, blog creation tips, and even the fundamentals of launching a tech start-up. Mr Ho's unique approach to volunteerism involves fostering friendships and continuous learning among participants through activities such as coffee chats, photo walks, and communal meals.

Mr Brent Wettlaufer is Co-Founder and Director of Professional Services at tinkermind, a Singaporean education technology company specialising in developing hands-on, minds-on learning experiences. He has 15 years of experience in developing and curating educational experiences for schools and informal learning spaces in Canada and Singapore. Brent is an avid amateur in many domains, and if he can achieve but one thing, it would be provoking the question ‘why?’ in learners’ minds.

Dr Kalyani K. Mehta and Amos Liu

Dr Kalyani K. Mehta as Professor and former Head of the Gerontology Programme at the SR Nathan School of Human Development in the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS). Her research on ageing services and policies has been published in international and regional journals and presented at reputed conferences worldwide. She has also been a consultant to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and served as a Nominated Member of the Parliament of Singapore from 2007-2009. In her role as an academic lecturer for the past 30 years and as a social worker, she has trained student social workers, volunteers, and caregivers on topics relating to adult issues.

Amos Liu is a social worker who works in the community setting. He provides case work and counselling services to individuals and families and leads community work efforts in the locality where he is based. In his work with his clients, he practises narrative therapy ideas and asset-based community development principles that he strongly believes in and advocates for.

About Time of Your Life

Organised by the National Library Board, the Time of Your Life (TOYL) features informative talks, creative workshops, learning communities and resources for those aged 50 and above. Covering a wide range of topics such as Digital, Careers, Sustainability, Arts & Wellness, start your learning journey with us today. Visit https://go.gov.sg/toyl for the full programme listing and check out our dedicated publication at https://go.gov.sg/50plusmag.

Unsure how to register for our programme?

Refer to these guides for more information.

• NLB Mobile App Users – go.gov.sg/toyl-evbm
• Desktop Users – go.gov.sg/toyl-evbd

Please note the following:

• All participants are required to register for a ticket. Each ticket admits 1 person only. Please present your ticket when you enter the library and the event venue.
• Arrive 10 mins before the session commences. Seats of late attendees may be given to those in the waitlist.
• NLB reserves the right to deny entry to participants who do not abide by the ground rules.
• Please note that photos and/or videos of this programme and its participants may be taken.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Central Public Library – Programme Room 2, 100 Victoria Street National Library Board, Singapore, Singapore