During a keynote speech, HE Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, Chairman of Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), stressed that the emirate's commitment to the development of libraries as a cornerstone of society has earned it global reputation of being a leading ‘knowledge city’. Highlighting Sharjah’s deep-rooted partnerships with leading institutions like the US Library of Congress, he noted that the emirate is working committedly to advance the role of libraries worldwide.
“The preparations for SPL’s second centennial require us to take a moment to reflect on the vision of HH Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, which has enabled us to establish several branches in the emirate,” Al Ameri added.
Towards the next 100: 50 experts envision the future role of SPL
A brainstorming session brought together 50 academic and cultural experts to deliberate on six key pillars, including libraries and children's literature, libraries and education, libraries and creativity, the relationship between the libraries and vital sectors, libraries and media, and libraries and the future.
Recommendations for the future of libraries and their role included library services being offered in digital format and forging partnerships with educational entities. Participants also discussed strengthening communication with customers through social media and other platforms, offering continuous learning opportunities, establishing a research centre focused on challenges facing the library sector, and transforming libraries into innovation hubs.
The future role of SPL in partnering with parents to inculcate a reading habit in their children through various creative initiatives as well as revitalising the role of school libraries was also discussed. They also recommended establishing inclusive book clubs for children to include young readers with special needs and disabilities.
Furthermore, participants recommended transforming traditional libraries into futuristic ones that capture the imaginations and interest of today’s consumer, especially children and youth.
On the topic of reinforcing libraries with best international practices and scientific principles, the establishment of a new unit to foresee the future was suggested in addition to providing SPL’s customers with virtual access to not only the library’s resources but its events and functions in parallel to the brick-and-mortar model.
Participants also recommended establishing strong strategic partnerships with relevant entities in community including cultural and children's centres and universities to promote SPL to a broader segment. Finally, the need to strongly promote the library’s achievements and new initiatives on media platforms, and partnering with the sector to promote Sharjah’s cultural project was also mentioned as a key future strategy.
Cultural conference
At the cultural conference, Dr. Imad Abdullaziz JabAllah, Assistant Professor of Information Sciences and Head of Information Technology at the University of Sharjah; and Dr. Saad Albazei, intellectual and critic, discussed the importance of formulating inclusive strategies to bolster the role of libraries in equipping communities with knowledge.
Albazei stressed the importance of having agile planning to stay ahead of rapid changes in society, adding that the leadership of HH the Ruler of Sharjah helped the emirate become a cultural capital and a model of sustainable, knowledge-based development.
For his part, Dr. Imad noted that the Arab civilisation flourished due to its relationship with books and knowledge for centuries, adding that the traditional role of libraries has changed due to rapid technological advancements, which became more evident during the pandemic.
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