Singapore’s National Library Board (NLB) is testing whether a tiny reward can make daily reading easier to remember. ReadSG, launched as a national reading initiative on September 6, lets Singaporeans sign in with Singpass and record one reading session of at least 15 minutes per day on CrowdTask SG, a citizen-engagement platform.
The visual supports the article’s discussion of a national effort to encourage people to put down distractions and read.
The mechanic is deliberately small. Each qualifying session earns 20 virtual coins; 1,000 coins equal S$1, so 50 consecutive days are worth S$1. Mothership says the coins can be used for purchases at participating merchants, while Gadget Review describes them as redeemable for cash. The sources agree on the rate, but differ on the redemption details.
ReadSG is also an honour system. The source text says users self-report that they read, rather than proving page counts, attention or comprehension. That keeps logging simple, but it means the recorded minutes measure declared participation, not independently verified reading quality.
The pilot runs from September 6 to December 31, 2026, with new features and enhancements expected from feedback. NLB chief executive Melissa Tam framed the 15-minute goal as a way to build habits through small, consistent actions in a media environment full of scrolling, videos and quick summaries.
Gadget Review also reports a parallel “Read for Good” track targeting 7.5 million collective reading minutes and a charitable donation of up to S$150,000. That community goal makes the program feel more like points, streaks and shared progress than paid work. What remains unknown is whether the reward changes reading habits after the pilot, or simply attracts people already motivated to log reading.