A Librarian's World | Monkey Metropolis: People and Primates in the Little Red Dot

Monkeys have long occupied a complicated place in Singapore. Pets and pests, objects of scientific fascination, mythical sightings, and colonial commerce, they are perhaps the animal closest to us… and yet not quite. From the wildlife traders of the 19th century to the macaques that roam our nature reserves today, monkeys have lived alongside Singaporeans in ways that are by turns playful, fraught, and surprising. What do our encounters with these primates reveal about how Singapore has changed over time? And what do they tell us about ourselves? Through highlights from the collections of the National Library and Archives, join us in uncovering the layered history of our most human-like neighbours in the Little Red Dot. About the Speaker Chia Jie Lin is a Librarian with the Singapore and Southeast Asia team at the National Library Singapore. Her responsibilities include collections development and management, historical research and writing, and provision of research and reference services. She has spent considerable time getting up to monkey business… all in the name of research!