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BiblioAsia Podcast

National Library, Singapore
Singapore
Hawker Center
Majulah Singapura
Lee Ek Tieng
Giovanni Gaggino
Lee Kuan Yew
Climate Change
Hedwig Anuar
UNESCO
Temasek
Tay Seow Huah
Hawkins Road Refugee Camp
Straits Times
Air Conditioning
Meteorology
Singapore River
National Library Of Singapore
Pulau Bukom
Laju Hijacking
National Anthem

The BiblioAsia Podcast explores Singapore stories: some unfamiliar, others forgotten, all fascinating. Does Singapore have a stone age? What’s happened to the murals at the old Paya Lebar airport? Who were some local tennis greats? Find out in this original podcast by the National Library Singapore.

PublishesMonthlyEpisodes46Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
HistorySociety & Culture

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Artwork for BiblioAsia Podcast

Latest Episodes

Giovanni Gaggino came to Singapore around 1874 and lived here for more than 40 years. During that time, he set up a successful business providing supplies to vessels passing through Singapore, he wrote an Italian-Malay dictionary and once owned the P... more

Singapore's time zone has been changed at least seven times since 1905, including during the Japanese Occupation when it was synchronised to Tokyo time. Arts librarian Kenneth Tay explains the historical context for the time zone changes, the origins... more

Hedwig Anuar was the first Malayan to head the National Library, a position she held for 23 years until 1988. She was also involved in the setting up the Singapore Book Council, National Archives of Singapore and Association of Women for Action and R... more

Lee Ek Tieng (1933–2025) was the civil servant who headed the clean-up of the Singapore River, had the foresight to modernise the sanitation system, and ensured water self-sufficiency for Singapore. Writer Samantha Boh tells us how he did it with his... more

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Recent Guests

Alex Foo
National Library of Singapore researcher; authored the Liguria to the Lion City article
National Library Singapore
Episode: The Italian Merchant and Lexicographer Who Once Owned Pulau Bukom
Kenneth Tay
Arts librarian and researcher; contributor to BiblioAsia
National Library Singapore
Episode: Changing Times: Time Zone Changes in Singapore since 1905
Shirin Aroozoo
Daughter of Hedwig Anuar; writer/contributor to BiblioAsia
BiblioAsia
Episode: The First Local to Head the National Library: Hedwig Anuar
Samantha Boh
Author and researcher focusing on Lee Ek Tieng
BiblioAsia, National Library Singapore
Episode: The Civil Servant in Charge of Clean and Green Singapore, Lee Ek Tieng
Fiona Williamson
Professor in Environmental History at the Singapore Management University
Singapore Management University
Episode: The Days Before Air Conditioning
Jan Beránek
Author of In Search of Silvestr
Author; researcher on Bata and Czech community in Singapore
Episode: Searching for Family in the Shadows of War
Cheong Yip Seng
Former editor-in-chief of the Straits Times
Straits Times / Ink and Influence author
Episode: Negotiating OB Markers When Running the Straits Times
Rebecca Tan
Digital preservation archivist with National Archives of Singapore
National Archives of Singapore
Episode: 25 Hawkins Road: Home to Vietnamese Refugees
Bernard Tan
Emeritus Professor, physicist, composer, founder of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra
National Library Singapore / NUS / Singapore Symphony Orchestra
Episode: The Making of "Majulah Singapura" as We Know It

Host

Jimmy
Host of BiblioAsia Plus, National Library Singapore (producer context: National Library Singapore)

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 38 ratings
  • Preserving Singapore’s Film Heritage

    When I was young I remember one night when a movie started, on TV, everyone in my family got very excited. It turns out that the movie was filed in my grandmother’s house. The movie was in Hokkien. My cousins and I remember that night, but none of us know the name of the movie. I deduce though that Hokkien and Teochew language movies were made in Singapore in the 1950s and 60s. Are these all lost forever?

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Htylvr
    United States2 years ago
  • Little gems of Singapore history!

    I am a 28 y/o Singaporean, and chanced upon this podcast. Learnt so much about my country through these little gems. Keep up the great work! More Singaporeans should listen and be proud of our history.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    liting2311
    Singapore2 years ago
  • Wonderful!

    The magazine is wonderful and very well done and this podcast adds to it even more. Biblio asia is a treasure to Singspore and to people who want to learn about Singspore. Thank you so much. I love this! Please don’t go away.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Bermondsey1688
    United States3 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise the depth and educational value; production is polished and informative.
Guest expertise and access to rare archival context come through clearly.
Strong archival focus and thoughtful storytelling about Singapore's history.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#188
France/History
Apple Podcasts
#201
Singapore/History

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Searching for Family in the Shadows of War
Q: What role did the newspaper SG Archive play in your research?
It provided full-text access to thousands of articles about Bata, Czechoslovakia, and the volunteer years, which was essential for corroborating details and discovering contemporary reactions and developments.
Searching for Family in the Shadows of War
Q: What kinds of sources did you rely on for the research?
A combination of private letters, diaries, Bata archives in Zlín, foreign ministry records, and a broader network of historians and former Bata employees who shared personal recollections and photographs, along with newspaper archives from Singapore.
Searching for Family in the Shadows of War
Q: Why did you decide to investigate Silvestr's fate in 2017?
I reached an age where family history became more important to me, and the letters my mother handed me sparked a curiosity to learn not only about Silvestr but also about the broader Bata community and the wartime experiences of Czech people in Singapore.
The Making of "Majulah Singapura" as We Know It
Q: How did Majulah Singapura originally come to be associated with national symbolism and the Victoria Theatre reopening?
It began as a song composed for the Victoria Theatre's reopening by Zubir Said, and only later was it shortened and proposed as a national anthem, with officials debating the best way to present it to a diverse audience.
The Civil Servant in Charge of Clean and Green Singapore, Lee Ek Tieng
Q: Give us a little bit more about Lee Ek Tieng. Who is he and why should we care about him?
Samantha Boh explains his role as an engineer-turned-civil servant who drove multi-agency coordination, social relocation of river communities, and large-scale environmental reforms that reshaped Singapore's public health and infrastructure.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About BiblioAsia Podcast

What is BiblioAsia Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show dives into Singapore's history through archival research, personal memories, and expert context. Conversations span early local commerce, colonial-era infrastructure, nation-building milestones, and cultural phenomena like hawker culture and national symbols, all anchored by librarians, researchers, and historians. Expect rigorously sourced anecdotes, connections to archives, and a focus on under-told stories that illuminate public life, memory, and identity in Singapore. A notable strength is the blend of scholarly analysis with intimate, human storytelling, often highlighting the National Library Singapore and related institutions as central guides to the past.

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How many episodes of BiblioAsia Podcast are there?

BiblioAsia Podcast launched 3 years ago and published 46 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on BiblioAsia Podcast?

Recent guests on BiblioAsia Podcast include:

1. Alex Foo
2. Kenneth Tay
3. Shirin Aroozoo
4. Samantha Boh
5. Fiona Williamson
6. Jan Beránek
7. Cheong Yip Seng
8. Rebecca Tan

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