The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, DCT Abu Dhabi, has organised a private retreat for librarians and educational specialists to help them improve their skills and expertise
ABU DHABI, (Pakistan Point News - 07th Oct, 2019) The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, DCT Abu Dhabi, has organised a private retreat for librarians and educational specialists to help them improve their skills and expertise.
Held under the theme 'Libraries Without Borders', the first-of-its-kind event saw a number of experts in the field discuss new trends in the industry, how services to the community can be improved, and ways for libraries to better engage with People of Determination (people with disabilities), said a press release issued by DCT Abu Dhabi on Monday.
The event, held at Zayed Central Library in Al Ain recently as one of the initiatives of the Maktaba Programme, included 10 workshops centred on three main topics: society, technology, and content.
The workshops covered subjects such as increasing and diversifying the impact of libraries on the community, best practices in the industry, and how to broaden cultural horizons of community members. The workshops also looked into the current role of libraries in providing diverse forms of content and highlighted the significant achievements of DCT Abu Dhabi’s Dar Al Kutub (National Library) Sector.
"The first Librarians' Retreat was a reflection of our commitment to empowering the importance of libraries in today's landscape," said Abdulla Majed Al Ali, Acting Executive Director at Dar Al Kutub Sector.
He added, "We want to continually encourage community members to visit their nearest library to explore the latest books and resources. Hence, these workshops supported our mission to explore the best practices and innovations, which ultimately can help us attract readers, including children and people of determination."
The event saw the participation of a number of distinguished speakers, including Prof. Eman Majed Abu Shalabi, Director of Sharjah Public Libraries Department, who discussed the Role of Public Libraries in the Development of Knowledge Society in Services; Prof. Sharifa Musa Al Mazmi, Acting Director of Learning Resources and Educational Solutions, who discussed the Role of school Libraries in Community Development; and Dr. Mohammed bin Jarsh, President of the Libraries Laureates Union, who discussed the Cultural Development of the UAE.
The retreat also saw the launch of the Creative Lab, at which key figures and influencers from relevant fields discussed three main themes: challenges and trends facing innovation in libraries; how to build capacity for innovation in libraries; and technological applications and their role in enriching society.
The discussions also covered the best ways to improve the community’s satisfaction with library services, as well as how to develop effective plans to keep up with the pace of global developments in the field.
