District Library and Museum Committee

The District Library and Museum Committee is comprised of not less than five and not more than fifteen Brethren chaired by its President. The Committee is charged by the District Board of General Purposes to manage the District Grand Lodge Library and exercise control over all satellite Masonic libraries in the District.

The Committee, of which the respective Lodge Librarians are its members, currently oversees a total of 8 Masonic libraries located in Freemasons’ Hall Singapore, Read Masonic Centre, Kinta Masonic Hall, Penang Masonic Temple, Dewan Freemason in Taiping, Dewan Freemason in Sungai Petani, Dewan Freemason in Johor, Dewan Freemason in Kota Kinabalu and Dewan Freemason in Sandakan. It is the objective that all 11 Lodge Buildings in the District should house a Masonic library therein, in order that the Brethren and Companions can have further access to Masonic writings and articles for their daily advancement.

The Committee also actively maintains, preserves and exhibits historical Masonic documents, rare Masonic jewels and historical Masonic regalia within the confines of the libraries of the Read Masonic Centre and Freemasons’ Hall Singapore.

The Committee is also in charge of the publication of the following records:

1. The Pentagram - a biennial publication recording the activities of the District.

2. The Masonic Year Book and Masonic Calendar – these 2 very important pieces of annual publications assist in the planning of visits to sister Lodges and Chapters and Lodges and Chapters of sister Constitutions as well as to the different distinguished Masonic Orders located within South East Asia.

3. The Ashlar Newsletter – Articles and photographs of events in the District in electronic format.

4. The Tracing Board - the periodic research publication of the District, in electronic format, encompasses Masonic research articles for intellectual discussion on different aspects of Masonic education, history, traditions and protocols of the Craft for the daily advancement of our Brethren and Companions in their Masonic knowledge.

5. The Oral History Project - an ongoing and dedicated project to oral submissions from freemasons in the District of their life and experiences of freemasonry and record and to catalogue it for posterity,

6. The website of District Grand Lodge and District Grand Chapter of the Eastern Archipelago – the development and programming of this website is currently in the final stages of nearing completion and is envisaged that all of the necessary Forms and information of the District shall be accessible by each and every Brother and Companion once the website is launched.