His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, inaugurated the “Mohammed Bin Rashid Library”, the new cultural beacon in Dubai and the UAE, which aims to promote and disseminate the culture of reading and support creative, cognitive and artistic activity at the individual and societal levels. Providing a knowledge platform for intellectual, literary, and creative minds in the region and the world, and supporting and facilitating the access of books, both paper and digital, to people of various groups and interests, with a focus on the youth category, as part of an effort aimed at building an Arab generation that understands The importance of reading and culture in supporting the development process in societies.
The new knowledge edifice will contribute to consolidating the UAE’s position as an incubator of culture and creativity in the region, an incubator for qualitative intellectual, cognitive and reading initiatives and projects in the Arab world, a supporter of the distinguished Arab intellectual and literary product, an advanced center for paper and digital publishing in accordance with the highest international publishing standards, and a sponsor of a selection of the most important and prestigious literary awards. Cultural and cultural center in the region, and an active center for the most important events, exhibitions, and literary and creative festivals.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said: “Our goal from the library is to promote reading, spread knowledge, and support researchers, creators, and scholars. Our goal from the library is to illuminate human thought,” pointing out that “the first commandment from heaven is (Read)… and today we are launching an edifice.” Culturally and intellectually for our generations to implement this commandment.”
His Highness added: “The economy needs knowledge, politics needs wisdom, and nations need to learn… and all of that is found in the book… and today we have an edifice that includes millions of books to advance our development process,” His Highness pointed out that “libraries consolidate our identity… our culture… and our roots.” And create our future and the future of our generations.”
This came during a special celebration organized at the Mohammed bin Rashid Library, in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, accompanied by His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance.
His Highness toured the various sections of the library and its facilities, where he inspected some of its content and holdings, stressing the importance of providing the library with what is new in the Arab and international publishing arena, and transforming the library into a knowledge center that witnesses cultural and creative activities throughout the year.
The opening and tour were attended by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airlines Group, His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, and Mohammed bin Abdullah, Secretary-General of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives Foundation. Al Gergawi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Library Foundation, Mohammed Al Murr, and a number of ministers, directors of government departments and officials.
The Mohammed bin Rashid Library, which overlooks Dubai Creek, was built on an area covering more than half a million square feet between the land area and the area of the seven-storey building, at a total cost of about one billion dirhams.
Throughout its seven floors, the Mohammed bin Rashid Library includes huge knowledge content consisting of more than 1.1 million paper and digital books in Arabic and foreign languages, more than six million scientific theses, about 73 thousand musical pieces, 57 thousand videos, about 13 thousand articles, and more. Of 5,000 historical paper and electronic periodicals as an archive for 325 years, and about 35,000 paper and electronic newspapers from various parts of the world, and approximately 500 rare collectibles.
Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Library Foundation, Mohammed Al Murr, said: “The Mohammed bin Rashid Library embodies the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, which aims to strengthen the cultural and knowledge sector in the UAE and build a generation armed with science and knowledge to lead our future and advance the components of our civilization.” ».
He pointed out that “the Mohammed bin Rashid Library is one of the most unique public library buildings in the region and the world, as it constitutes an architectural icon and a unique knowledge and cultural beacon that combines authenticity and modernity, to reflect Dubai’s past, its cultural heritage, its prosperous present, and its future aspirations,” pointing out that “the library adds a new dimension.” To the existing knowledge economy in the country, in terms of changing the concept of libraries of the twenty-first century, to express the future trends of the next generation of libraries based on the latest technologies.”
Al-Murr stressed that the library will contribute to preserving Arab and international literature, culture, and heritage and consolidating reading and knowledge in Emirati and Arab society as a way of life, thus supporting the national reading strategy and enhancing Dubai’s position as a global cultural capital.
The Mohammed bin Rashid Library falls under the umbrella of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives Foundation, the largest development, humanitarian and empowering institution of its kind in the region, within the axis of disseminating education and knowledge, one of the five sectors of the organisation’s work, through dozens of initiatives seeking to advance the cultural and knowledge reality in the region. The library also translates the objectives of the National Reading Strategy (2016-2026), which seeks to build an Emirati knowledge society in which reading is an integral part of its daily life.
The Mohammed bin Rashid Library overlooks Dubai Creek. It was designed in the shape of a wooden stand used to carry books, known as “Rahal,” and has a total area of 581,903 square feet (equivalent to more than 54,000 square metres). The library provides a stimulating environment with creative horizons that enhance the cultural and creative product in the country, as it accommodates all segments of society, including youth, children, governmental and private institutions, writers, researchers, thinkers, and artists. It also receives readers and literary and intellectual figures from various parts of the region and the world.
The Mohammed bin Rashid Library consists of nine specialized libraries: the Public Library, the Emirates Library, the Youth Library, the Children’s Library, the Special Collections Library, the Maps and Atlases Library, the Arts and Media Library, the Business Library, and the Periodicals Library. In addition to paper books, the library provides access to a wide range of e-books and other digital media, and access to millions of books, information sources and content from around the world.
The public library is one of the largest departments in the Mohammed bin Rashid Library. It includes more than 29 thousand titles, and is available to various segments of society, especially school and university students, and reading enthusiasts, through books and publications available in paper and digital format that address various and varied topics that suit different interests. Such as languages, history, geography, philosophy, health, sports, self-development, and literature, including novels and short stories, available in Arabic and English. The public library includes a seating area for browsing books, within a comfortable and stimulating environment for reading.
The Emirates Library highlights the many aspects of the rich Emirati culture and the components of its identity, starting with the ancient civilizations that inhabited the region and practiced their commercial activities in the Arabian Peninsula, so that the United Arab Emirates takes its first steps in the process of development and nation-building, through today’s leaders, along with innovators, creators, and historians. thinkers and writers, in addition to the contemporary renaissance witnessed in various fields of culture and art.
The Emirates Library includes more than 15,000 works, including a wide range of books, documents, and periodicals on everything related to the history of the Emirates, the civilizations that succeeded each other in the region, and archaeological discoveries, in addition to a special section on Emirati literature that includes various works on novels, stories, and poetry, in addition to paper and digital materials. Audio-visual covers components of the Emirati cultural and social identity, such as Emirati cuisine, local antiquities, music and handicrafts, in addition to the agricultural wealth in the Emirates.
The Children’s Library aims to support the reading, learning and pedagogical needs of children between the ages of 5 and 11 years. The Children’s Library contains a beautiful and inspiring collection of carefully selected publications, including more than 25,000 titles, including picture stories, reference books, encyclopedias, early learning books, and board books for pre-school and first grade children, in addition to a collection of 3D books that… It creates an enjoyable and inspiring reading and visual experience for young people of awareness-raising age.
The Children’s Library also includes a variety of books and publications targeting children of determination, such as talking books, Braille books for the visually impaired, and sensory books.
The Children’s Library is keen to provide its children with a spacious space that combines learning and fun, through which they move between its corridors, interacting with paper books and technology, by browsing digital publications that are designed and presented in an attractive way.
Within the Mohammed bin Rashid Library, the “Special Collections Library” includes a valuable collection of old, out-of-print books and periodicals, collected and acquired from all over the world, dating back to the beginning of the twentieth century. In view of the priceless historical value of many of the collectibles, in addition to the exposure of some of them to the effects of time, use and inappropriate storage, they were preserved under special conditions, while providing the best and most modern display and storage mechanisms, taking into account all appropriate climatic conditions. Rare materials can be made available to researchers or those wishing to view them under the supervision of the library staff.
The special collection includes old books and periodicals published before 1950, including a group of Arabic periodicals dating back to the beginning of the twentieth century. The library includes, for example, a collection of periodicals about Arab film, including periodicals from the golden age of Egyptian cinema. The Special Collections Library also contains a number of works from other libraries’ collections, such as old maps from the Maps and Atlases Library, in addition to some 3D books from the Children’s Library.
The “Periodicals Library” provides academics, researchers, students, businessmen, and the public with access to a wide range of magazines, newspapers, newsletters, and periodicals specialized in politics, thought, economics, science, technology, and literature, in paper and digital format, within a comfortable environment, during which the visitor can browse the magazines and periodicals. Old or current from various parts of the region and the world, in Arabic, English or any other language. The content of the periodicals library has been classified in a way that makes it easy for the visitor to access the source or information he needs.
This library includes one of the largest reading collections in the region for young men and women, with nearly 11,000 titles, covering the useful, exciting, and enjoyable, including fantasy books, novels, and science fiction, in addition to biographies, books on art, culture, science, and sports, and a wonderful collection of graphic novels. (Comics), in Arabic and English, and other topics that attract young people.
The Youth Library receives special attention from those in charge of it, given that Arab societies are considered “young societies,” as about 60% of the population in the Arab world is under the age of 25, and more than 28% of the population of the Middle East falls in this age group. Between 15 and 29 years old, which makes this region one of the youngest regions in the world, as the average age of young people in the Arab world is 22 years, compared to the global average age of 28 years.
This section of the “Mohammed Bin Rashid Library” seeks to help young men and boys, especially in their teenage years, to get the most out of their time in the library’s corridors and spaces, while also providing them with a comprehensive set of digital services that they can access at any time and from anywhere. Within a long-term goal, it seeks to build a close relationship between them and the library so that it becomes an integral part of their lives, thus enhancing the culture of reading as an authentic daily habit for them.
The Arts and Media Library includes more than 15,000 printed and digital works, including multiple media in art, architecture, design, fashion, music, theatrical and performing arts, and the written word.
The library consists of different sections that can be used for reading and working, a games hall, television screens, and spaces designated for audio-visual groups, in addition to allocating space for virtual reality applications.
The library also provides spaces designated for meetings, lectures, organizing events, artistic performances and interactive activities, in addition to reading and writing groups, author events and signings, film screenings, creative and musical performances, and competitions.
The Maps and Atlases Library is one of the most important departments and main libraries within the Mohammed bin Rashid Library, and it is one of the most comprehensive and richest libraries in the region, as it includes a wide range of collectibles and knowledge treasures, consisting of more than 3,000 printed maps, travel magazines, manuscripts, and digital media of various types. Languages, thus forming a knowledge destination for researchers, historians, academics, travelers, and investigative scholars.
The Business Library aims to provide knowledge and resources to entrepreneurs, innovators, researchers and students in the field of business administration. The library contains approximately 25,000 titles on business administration, in addition to e-books, articles, studies and other sources. Business professionals, early career professionals, and students can benefit from the content provided by this library, enabling them to gain a broad understanding of the business sector and its diverse fields. In addition to books, the Business Library provides selected electronic resources such as business databases, and provides access to company information, directories and reports. The library also provides a space for organizing dialogue sessions and discussion meetings between entrepreneurs from time to time, to investigate the reality of the business sector in the region, and to explore new and diverse investment horizons.
• The library’s content includes more than 1.1 million paper and digital books in Arabic and foreign languages, and more than 6 million scientific theses.
• The library costs one billion dirhams… and will receive visitors starting Thursday, June 16.
Vice President of the State:
• “Our goal from the library is to promote reading, spread knowledge, and support researchers, innovators, and scientists. Our goal from the library is to illuminate human thought.”
• “The economy needs knowledge, politics needs wisdom, and nations need learning… and all of that is found in the book… and today we have an edifice that contains millions of books.”
Muhammad Al-Murr:
• “The library embodies the vision of Mohammed bin Rashid, which aims to strengthen the cultural and knowledge sector in the Emirates.”
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