Held for the first time in the Middle East and co-hosted by the AUS Library and Zayed University Library, the event saw the participation of 87 university libraries from around the world. IATUL is an influential and inclusive community for leaders of university and research libraries worldwide, bringing together library directors and managers to exchange ideas, expand professional networks, create new collaborations and work together on international projects exploring the current significant challenges.
After addressing the ceremony, Sheikha Bodour said: “Libraries today face the difficult challenge of staying relevant and useful to the communities they serve without neglecting their core mission — providing access to reading and enlightenment. But when all actors in the book space work together, we can create more opportunities to meet this challenge head-on. Continuing to push boundaries in a spirit of open communication and solidarity is to everyone’s benefit, especially school children and students.”
“This is an international conference for an organization that has more than 230 member institutions from around the world. This is tremendous exposure for AUS, and it helps us build networks with other university libraries. One of our strategic priorities at the AUS Library is to 'actively build local and international networks to enable and inform an efficient and progressive library service,' and the IATUL conference is a great mechanism for doing this. The event is extraordinary for two reasons: first, we are finally able to meet in person for the first time since 2020; and second, it is the very first time in the history of IATUL for the conference to be hosted in the Middle East,” said Kara Jones, AUS University Librarian.
Held under the theme “Libraries Pushing Boundaries”, the event took place from March 13- 16, with the first two days hosted by Zayed University Library and the concluding two by the AUS Library.
The 43rd IATUL Conference offered an exploration of forward-thinking in academic libraries and information services and a chance to share experiences of transforming and renewing services, spaces, and resources to add value to universities.
The conference covered topics such as vision, leadership and professional growth, highlighting value and quality, strategic partnership and collaboration, leading and transforming and work environments. It also discussed digital and service delivery and impact, with library users becoming co-creators of services, in addition to looking at spaces for discovery, AI and robots in the library, and discovery services and systems. The conference looked at developing capable citizens through information and digital literacies, student success pathways, employability and career support, and sustainability initiatives. It further highlighted impact and surfacing research through sharing and promoting research, managing openness, futureproofing/preservation, #hashtag social media experiences, and mapping sustainable development goals.
The conference featured keynote speeches, presentations and poster sessions, workshops and panel discussions. Dr. Alanna Ross, Associate University Librarian for Public Services at AUS, presented the paper “Information, Digital and Media Literacy for Active Global Citizenship,” based on a project with colleagues from the UK and South Africa, while AUS Library staff moderated several sessions during the event. Delegates also experienced UAE hospitality and culture through social events and study tours.
Renowned as one of the premier libraries in the region, the AUS Library provides collections, services and programs to support the curricular and research needs of the university community. Housed in a three-story, purpose-built, state-of-the-art building, the AUS Library has a physical collection of 155,000 sources in English and 5,000 sources in Arabic plus a vast array of digital resources. It also has an online management system to locate materials on and off-campus. It offers hands-on information literacy classes to teach students research skills, with qualified librarians ready to provide consultation to researchers.
For an optimal experience, please
