SBPA Internship Programme

The inaugural SBPA Internship Programme was successfully held from 25 May to 31 July 2015. An instant success with students and member companies, the number of participating companies has increased from six for the first run to seventeen companies in 2021. The class of interns has also expanded from nine interns in 2015 to forty-one interns in 2021. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has prevented the organization to site visits, the SBPA Internship Programme continued with a series of virtual seminars from 17 May to 23 July 2021.

The concept of the SBPA Internship Programme originated from Peter Schoppert, SBPA President (2014-2020). Interns are recruited via central process administered by the SBPA Secretariat. Companies would remain responsible for their interns while the SBPA organized a centralized training programme and site visits for the interns. These training sessions includes a whole range of topics – from introductory courses on publishing, editing, and copyright to marketing and design, while the site visits included virtual trips to printers and bookstores.

Through this comprehensive programme, interns are given a wide exposure to the industry, with opportunities to network among peers and learn about technical areas from the most qualifies professionals.

The SBPA Secretariat would like to thank the following speakers for lending their time and support for this meaningful and educational initiative.

• Mr Max Phua of World Scientific Publishing Co • Mr Peter Schoppert of NUS Press • Mr Andrew Fong of Copyright Licensing and

Administration Society of Singapore Ltd • Mr Denon Lim of Lingzi Media Pte Ltd • Mr Yeoh Cheng Poh of Marshall Cavendish

Education • Mr Mark Garlinghouse • Mr Barry Clarke of Taylor and Francis Asia

Pacific • Mr Anil Chandy of Springer Nature Singapore • Mr Melvin Neo of Marshall Cavendish

International (Asia) • Ms Shoba Nair of ilovereading.sg • Ms Lindsay Davis of NUS Press • Ms Sophia Susanto of Difference Engine • Ms Kum Suning of Ethos Books • Mr Edmund Wee of Epigram Books • Mr David Liew • Ms Elaine Ee of National Gallery Singapore • Ms Khoo Yee Hong of World Scientific

Publishing Co • Mr William Phuan and Ms Nurul Shafienas of

Singapore Book Council • Ms Li Feifan of Wiley and Sons Singapore • Ms Micah of Overdrive • Mr Shalu Wasu of Storytel Singapore • Mr Chua Hong Koon of World Scientific

Publishing Co • Ms Christine Chong of Tusitala • Ms Zoe Yeo, Ms Georgina Wong,

Ms Chia Jie Lin of National Library Board • Ms Chua Gek Huay, Ms Eileen Lai,

Ms Jane Low of Kinokuniya • Mr Kenny Leck of BooksActually • Ms Crystal Wong, Ms Choa Jenny from

Markono Print Media • Times Bookstore • Ms Florence Goh of Marshall Cavendish

Education • Mr Ng Kah Gay of Ethos Books • Ms Chong Lingying of Asiapac Books • Dr Sadie-Jane Nunis of Library

Association of Singapore • Ms Chloe Tong of National Library Board • Ms Patricia Karunungan of Epigram Books • Mr Shaun Tan of World Scientific

Publishing Co

SBPA BOOKDATA SYSTEM

The SBPA BookData System was developed with a grant from Enterprise Singapore (ESG)’s Local Enterprise and Association Development (LEAD) programme. The SBPA BookData System is able to handle and process the variable amounts of information required by libraries, wholesalers, retailers, data aggregators and other interested data recipients. This Database will be a national database that includes titles published by SBPA Members and Non-Members.

The BookData System is currently in the final phase of development and more than 100,000 local titles have been onboarded with support from the National Library Board (NLB). We are scheduled for a soft launch in early 2022.