Sharjah 24: Sharjah Libraries is celebrating its centennial anniversary led by the Emirate of Sharjah’s pioneering role and its long-standing relationship with books, knowledge, and culture during its participation in the 44th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF). The celebrations will include a series of events, panel discussions, and dialogues, as well as special offers on memberships.
The first library in Sharjah was established in 1925 in Sharjah Fort as a private library by Sheikh Sultan bin Saqr Al Qasimi. It later evolved into Sharjah Libraries, which now comprises six branches across the emirate’s major cities: Sharjah, Khorfakkan, Kalba, Dibba Al Hisn, Al Dhaid, and Wadi Al Helo. These branches house over 800,000 books in multiple languages, in addition to an e-library, research facilities, and book clubs. It also organises workshops and community events throughout the year, making it a cornerstone of Sharjah's knowledge ecosystem.
Celebrating cultural heritage and facilitating community access to knowledge resources
Ghaith Al Hosani, member of the Events and Programmes Team at Sharjah Libraries, affirms that participating in the SIBF 2025 presents an opportunity to showcase the role of Sharjah Public Libraries in enriching the reading experience and supporting education.
Al Hosani stated: "With the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, Sharjah Libraries has flourished and succeeded in building a reading and cultured community through hundreds of thousands of books and two book clubs that encourage reading and dialogue, in addition to social media, which has expanded our reach to readers throughout the UAE and the region."
He added: “During the 44th edition of the exhibition, Sharjah Public Libraries will host a distinguished group of writers and translators, including the Egyptian poet, writer, and translator Iman Mersal, winner of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award; the Kuwaiti writer Abdulwahab Al-Hammadi; the Emirati screenwriter Mohammed Hassan Ahmed; and the esteemed Egyptian translator Yara El-Masry, who specialises in translating contemporary Chinese literature into Arabic. We are also offering a 50% discount on Sharjah Public Libraries membership fees during the exhibition.”
A century of giving
What began 100 years ago as a private book collection has evolved into a public cultural institution dedicated to facilitating readers’ access to knowledge. The journey of Sharjah Libraries embodies the emirate’s commitment to contributing to the advancement of education, culture, and human development—values that continue to guide the libraries’ work to this day.
SIBF, organised by the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) under the slogan "Between You and the Book," is being held until November 16 at the Sharjah Expo Centre. It is hosting 158 Arab and foreign guests, in addition to organising 300 cultural events and 750 workshops in Arabic and English, as well as 85 live performances and theatrical shows from 12 countries.
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