The American Library Association conference celebrates Sharjah’s experience in transporting books to every home

Sharjah, 1st July / WAM / Sharjah participated in a keynote speech during the opening session of the American Library Association Conference in Chicago, marking the first Arab participation and the first participation from outside the United States of America in the opening of the conference, which is the largest gathering of library institutions and specialists in the world, in an international celebration of its cultural experience and appreciation for its project in making the book a part of society’s life.

This attendance came in conjunction with the American Library Association’s celebration of the 150th anniversary of its founding. The opening of the conference brought together more than 5,000 guests, leaders and representatives of library, cultural and knowledge institutions from around the world, most notably J.B. Pritzker, Governor of the State of Illinois, Brandon Johnson, Mayor of Chicago, and Sam Helmick, President of the American Library Association.

The Sharjah cultural project, especially the “Library for Every Home” initiative, received wide praise from American librarians and specialists who expressed interest in the emirate’s experience in moving books from the shelves of institutions to the heart of the family, after the initiative succeeded in providing more than 42,000 Emirati families with more than 2.1 million books.

Participants in the conference praised what Sharjah has achieved in the global cultural scene thanks to the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, and the support and follow-up of Her Highness Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Sharjah Book Authority. They stressed that Sharjah’s experience in developing libraries, the book industry and organizing the publishing sector provides an international model in employing knowledge and reading to build human beings.

The Sharjah Book Authority participated in the conference with a delegation headed by His Excellency Ahmed bin Rakad Al Ameri, CEO of the Authority, and included a number of its initiatives and project directors to present some of Sharjah’s most prominent cultural projects related to managing knowledge sources, providing access to them, and advancing the components of the book industry.

The conference hosted His Excellency Ahmed Al Ameri, who delivered a speech during the opening ceremony, making him the first speaker from outside the United States of America at the opening of the conference. He presented a message that goes beyond presenting the achievements of the Emirate of Sharjah to present an Arab model that sees the library as a living institution, reading as a community project, and access to books as a right that begins at home and extends to schools, universities, and public institutions.

Al Ameri said that Sharjah believes in the role of libraries in expanding educational opportunities and building communities, pointing out that Sharjah Public Libraries celebrated its centenary last year in two marches that confirm the sustainable value of investing in knowledge. The vision of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah made libraries an essential pillar of the emirate’s cultural and educational project through a network that includes six public libraries, in addition to the “A Library for Every Home” initiative.

He added that Sharjah continues to expand its role as a center for knowledge exchange and international cultural cooperation, and that the Sharjah International Library Conference, which last year attracted more than 400 specialists from more than 30 countries, embodies the depth of the partnership with the American Library Association as it is the only professional gathering of the Association outside the United States and a platform that connects the East and the West and opens new areas for exchanging experiences and developing the library sector around the world.

The Sharjah Book Authority delegation held a series of bilateral meetings with publishers, librarians, representatives of knowledge institutions and strategic partners, which discussed opportunities to develop cooperation in the publishing and library sectors, exchange knowledge, and benefit from professional and technical expertise, in addition to building relationships that support the presence of Arabic content and link Sharjah initiatives to networks of libraries and international cultural institutions.

The meetings allowed the delegation to learn about the trends and needs of the participating institutions and discuss areas that could be developed within future programs and projects, including the exchange of experiences, communication between publishers and libraries, and the development of services directed to readers and specialists.

The Sharjah Book Authority’s pavilion formed a platform to receive visitors to the conference, hold professional meetings, and introduce the Sharjah cultural system and the Authority’s programs and initiatives in supporting the publishing industry and developing libraries. The pavilion highlighted the “Arab Bookverse” platform and the opportunities it provides to expand the reach of Arabic content digitally, in addition to the experience of Sharjah Public Libraries, their knowledge and community programs, and other projects that link books with technology, education, and research.

The pavilion also presented the Authority’s efforts to enhance Sharjah’s presence within the international book industry and provide platforms that bring together publishers, librarians and experts and allow for the exchange of experiences and discussion of challenges facing the production and distribution of knowledge in markets.

During its participation in the conference, the Authority invited librarians, specialists, and participating institutions to attend and participate in the Sharjah International Library Conference scheduled to be held next November, and to learn about its professional program and contribute to its discussions about the future of libraries, their services, and their role in supporting learning, research, and community communication.

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