An overview of Libraries in the Gulf States

by Shaikha Mohamed Ahmed Al Muhairi

Books and reading are highly respected within the Arab states, even if they are not always a visible part of daily life there. The first word revealed in the Holy Quran was Iqra’ (“read”), and literate and learned people in the Arab Gulf before the discovery of oil were esteemed members of society whose personal libraries benefitted their small communities. In the era of modern nation-states, the state began to establish public libraries, while others were set up by various government entities and private companies. Every new public and private school contained a library. 

The educational and cultural movement gained momentum from the 1960s through 1980s and then plateaued for a while. Libraries became known simply as quiet, organised places for book storage, and seemed out of place within the increased dynamism of the urban centres in the Arab Gulf. Currently, though, there seems to be a strong cultural revival region-wide, and libraries are part of that. Public libraries are spreading. Universities and research centres have extensive libraries that offer resources related to their areas of specialisation. Alongside these changes, the publishing industry has started to flourish as well, although in many countries it is still at an infancy stage.

The information specialist struggling with lack of information

One area that seems lacking in this current picture is the information that connects libraries to the Arab publishing world. Publishers’ associations and other organisations that deal in books have yet to provide proper platforms for the public, and specifically for librarians, to obtain information about books (see interview on metadata p. 9) . There exist almost no trade publications or online databases that provide such information. Book reviews are almost unheard of, although sometimes a culture page in a newspaper or a specialised literary magazine will offer reviews, primarily focused on fiction and critical works about poetry and fiction. 

One of the best websites is Masarat by Al Bayan newspaper in the UAE, which covers a wide range of subjects. There are a couple of good online bookstores but customers by and large have not appeared interested in posting book reviews. There is a plethora of free e-book websites and many applications that can be downloaded on smart phone platforms, but many publishers’ websites that provide lists of books do not include reviews with them, and even books that have won awards are often not easy to find. There are few online directories of publishers, and what sites do exist usually tend towards the commercial side and are not consistently updated.

In Focus: Specialised Libraries 

The main areas of interest for academic libraries revolve around the specialised subjects taught at each university, with a priority put on books for English language learners. Academic libraries, especially in the UAE, have been at the forefront of developing technology and systems through which to acquire books. Libraries subscribe to trade journals, usually in English, and ask their professors for input regarding the information resources required, as well as relying on vendors for pre-catalogued English titles. EFL and ESL teachers can be part of the library staff in many instances. Drawing upon publishers’ catalogues, they make book and audio-visual selections for English language learners, such as graded readers. Most universities in the UAE have an 80 percent to 20 percent ratio of English to Arabic book purchases, excluding Islamic and Arabic-language universities, of which there are few. Qatar and Oman also rely heavily on English; the other GCC states are more interested in Arabic materials but English is still an important language for them, too. There is much less demand for materials in other languages, except at universities that operate in that language such as the Sorbonne in Abu Dhabi, or in foreign language departments. Academic libraries have been using subject-oriented electronic databases for a long time. 

When universities in Abu Dhabi receive grants to buy books from local book fairs, they usually focus on acquiring Arabic materials. Librarians at universities attend local and international conferences and are connected through unofficial librarian networks.

Government schools have core book collections that are often a bit on the old side. Sometimes the Education Council, the Education Zone, or the Ministry of Education will buy books in bulk for school libraries. In other instances librarians will rely on small funds to purchase books from book fairs. Private schools develop their collections depending on their own particular policies. School libraries in most cases have an equal ratio of English to Arabic books, except in private schools where English is prominent or foreign-language community schools such as those taught in German or Japanese. Books purchased focus on curriculum support first and on reading promotion second. School libraries have a great potential for growth that has not yet been realised because of a lack of librarian training and a lack of information provided to librarians regarding books and services.

Corporate libraries rely heavily on English. Decision-making is based on corporate needs and standards, and in most cases English is the business language of the UAE—the opposite of what is the case in most of the other Gulf states. Corporate librarians rely mostly on book fairs and trade publications to acquire books.

Professional associations and networks 

Librarians in the region have very few venues in which to meet. The only region-wide event for librarians is the Special Libraries Association Arabian Gulf Chapter (SLA AGC), which organizes an annual conference. Another network is the UAE-based Information Literacy Network, an informal forum for librarians interested in sharing resources and enhancing information literacy skills for the workplace. Both conferences have exhibits, and some publishers and library vendors contribute to the conferences proceedings. Another networking group in the UAE is Abu Dhabi Librarians, which consists of a mailing list organised by one librarian and which holds gatherings and other activities, some of them vendor initiated.

Librarians in the Gulf are eager to get their hands on books. The provision of extensive, high-quality information on Arabic books is long overdue. Workshops and gatherings to provide librarians with resources for book selection would be a good place to start. Online Arabic book directories need institutional support. Currently book fairs seem to be the most popular places to get books in the Gulf region. More information provided about the kinds of books available to librarians would be of great benefit, especially if combined with information sessions, special events, and professional development opportunities.

Shaikha Mohamed Ahmed Al Mehairi is Head of Library Services at the National Library Abu Dhabi.