Dubai Public Library rolls out campaign to encourage reading in children and adults

The Dubai Public Library, owned by the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the Emirate’s dedicated Authority for culture, arts, and heritage, rolled out a campaign, in collaboration with various entities including the Watani Programme, the Islamic Affairs & Charitable Activities Department and Rufoof, to inculcate and encourage the joy of reading in children and adults, through a series of lectures and activities.

Comprising workshops, readings, competitions, school visits, and lectures, the campaign was held across the Dubai Public Library Hatta, Dubai Public Library Al Safa, Dubai Electronic Public Library Umm Suqueim, Dubai Public Library Hor Al Anz, Dubai Public Library Al Rashidiya, and Dubai Public Library Al Twar.

Over the course of the programme, Dubai Public Library visited numerous schools across the city, to invite the students to visit the libraries and participate in the activities, distributed material to students and encouraged schools to place a greater emphasis on reading through their curriculum.

Abdulrahman Younes, Acting Director of the Dubai Public Library Department, Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, said: “With the growth of information technology, children are less likely to read books for personal enjoyment. It has also been proven that children who read have higher standards of academic performance. Through the programme, we aim to establish a culture of reading in children and adults for their personal well-being.”

Officials from The Dubai Public Library Al Rashidiya visited schools and invited students to the library. Activities within the library were aimed at encouraging students to read by hosting story-reading sessions, launching a letter-writing competition, teaching children to summarise stories, as well as hosting lectures and workshops on reading.

Activities at the Dubai Public Library Hatta comprised a campaign to educate the residents of Hatta on the role of the libraries; a seminar on education in the United Arab Emirates; competitions for adults; and daily programmes in the children’s hall including workshops and story-reading sessions. In addition, the library also honoured the most frequent library visitors at the school morning assemblies.

Children’s story-reading sessions; competitions on alphabets; lectures on encouraging children to read, with prizes given to the child who reads the most number of books; and a session on the importance of reading, were held at Al Safa Public Library.

The Dubai Public Library Umm Suqueim Electronic Library hosted a cultural competition focused on reading during the morning gathering at schools, in addition to a presentation on the importance of reading and its goals when inculcated into school curriculums. The library’s activities also included a field trip for the students of Anisah Al Ansariah Primary school to The Discovery Centre in Sharjah, as well as children’s reading sessions by experts in the field.

Activities at the Dubai Public Library Hor Al Anz encompassed awareness lectures to underscore the role of the libraries for schools and children; daily programmes in the children’s hall including workshops and competitions on reading; an exhibition on recent books; and distribution of gifts to the library’s most-frequent visitors.

The Dubai Public Library Al Twar hosted daily programmes for children including workshops, competitions, and reading sessions. The library launched cultural programmes and competitions for adults, an exhibition on the importance of reading, and host presentations on reading in schools.