Exhibition highlighting history of UAE libraries opens in Al Ain

An exhibition showcasing the history of libraries over the last 50 years in the UAE has opened in Al Ain.

Titled ‘Treasuries of Knowledge in 50 Years‘ exhibition, the event was launched by Maktaba, the library management section of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), at Zayed Central Library in Al Ain.

The exhibition which will run for six months, underscores the efforts made by pioneers in building and improving public, private and specialised libraries in Abu Dhabi and the UAE.

Shaikha Almehairi, Library Management Department Director at DCT Abu Dhabi; attended the opening ceremony with other dignitaries and visitors who toured the exhibition. Special videos on the journey of libraries in the country were previewed during the opening ceremony.

The tour was translated in sign language for students with hearing disabilities, followed by a special workshop on book typesetting session presented by Sanaa Haroun, to teach participants the basic skills and guidelines of typesetting and binding books using simple book binding techniques.

Almehairi stressed on the importance of introducing the society to the history of libraries in the UAE, as they are the core of the country’s cultural and civilisational growth.

“In conjunction with the National Month of Reading in the UAE, MAKTABA aimed to launch ‘Treasuries of Knowledge in 50 Years’exhibition to introduce current generations to the role that libraries played in shaping the Emirati identity over the past decades,” said Almehairi.

Fatima Al Tamimi, Programming Lead and Competition Supervisor at DCT Abu Dhabi said: “As our beloved country prepares for another 50 years of achievements, we designed this exhibition to shed light on the comprehensive cultural and cognitive renaissance that was laid by the founding fathers of the UAE and elevated by our wise leadership," said Al Tamimi.

‘Treasuries of Knowledge in 50 Years’ exhibition displays a wide collection of rare books and manuscripts that were at the UAE libraries over the past decades.

Various workshops, lectures, and seminars will be held throughout the exhibition to highlight the history of UAE libraries.

During the first week of the exhibition, Dr. Muhammad bin Jarash Al Suwaidi will deliver a lecture on the role of libraries in spreading culture and knowledge, and enhancing the skills of readers and authors. Additionally, Dr. Hamid Al Balooshi will give a lecture on the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in improving libraries and offering various information resources.

Shaikha Almutairi will discuss Specialised Emirati Librariesduring a workshop that is sought to discuss the history of Emirati private libraries, and previews the most important collectibles in Juma AI-Majid Center for Culture and Heritage.

Finally, haikha Almutairi andFahad Al Maamari will moderate a lecture to present key achievements of the first generation of Emirati intellectuals, namely Sultan Al Owais, Juma Al Majid, and Ibrahim Al Maddfa.

ismail@khaleejtimes.com

• Abu Dhabi