Featured sessions and workshops that explored the advancement of libraries in line with digital transformation
Sharjah, November 11, 2025,
The 12th Sharjah International Library Conference, organised by the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) in collaboration with the American Library Association and held alongside the 44th Sharjah International Book Fair, concluded with academic and professional discussions centred on advancing knowledge environments and reinforcing libraries as dynamic centres for learning and community engagement. The conference convened more than 400 library professionals, educators, and technology experts from 30 countries.
The final day featured sessions and workshops exploring user relationship management in academic libraries, high-impact digital libraries, innovative communication and teaching strategies, and both Arab and international case studies on library service development and AI integration in technical and school library services.
A platform for development
Commenting on the 12th edition, Mansour Al Hassani, Director of Publishing Services at SBA, said: “Under the leadership of Her Highness Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of SBA, we believe global cooperation is key to advancing library development. It enables the exchange of knowledge and best practices, improving library services and strengthening their role in supporting individuals and communities.”
He added, “This year’s edition proved that libraries, in all their forms, are essential to expanding access to knowledge and building educated societies. The discussions showed how libraries are becoming active spaces for human development, and how librarians now play a direct role in shaping the future of learning, research, and innovation.”
Transforming libraries through customer relationship management
Dr. Duha Hassan Alsereihy, Director General of Libraries at King Abdulaziz University in Saudi Arabia, opened the day with a session titled “Creating a Good Customer Relations Culture in Your Library”, which focused on customer relationship management in academic libraries. She called for a shift from collection-focused operations to user-centred strategies that combine modern technologies, management, and human interaction.
She explained that an integrated approach to customer relationship management adds value to education, research, and culture, extending beyond traditional book lending. Dr. Alsereihy also presented a development framework built on institutional commitment, leadership, operations, services, and materials, all geared toward sustainable partnerships and meeting the community’s evolving needs.
High-impact digital libraries: Enhancing communication and learning
In a session titled “The High-Impact Digital Library: Innovative Approaches for Outreach and Instruction,” Rebekah Cummings, Director of Digital Matters at the University of Utah, showcased the university’s digital library, which houses over 4.5 million books and serves more than 38,000 students. She highlighted the Utah Digital Newspapers project, which provides free access to over 9 million pages of historic newspapers from 1850 to 2023. Cummings emphasised that impact depends not on team size but on activating communication through promotion, in-class instruction, training, and academic collaboration.
Student-centred lesson planning for effective library instruction
Rebecca Miller Waltz, Associate Dean for Learning and Engagement at Penn State University Libraries, and Melissa Bowles-Terry, Professor and Science Librarian at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, led a session on “Foundations of Lesson Planning: Learning Outcomes and Assessment.” The speakers addressed how to design learner-centred instruction to build information literacy. The session outlined the importance of defining clear learning outcomes, using interactive activities to support educational goals, and applying real-world assessment techniques.
Arabic-language resources expand professional access across MENA
Titled as “New Resources for Librarians in Arabic from ELIA” the session featured Randa Chidiac, Director of Library Services at the American University in Dubai; Nabil Badran, Librarian at Amity University Dubai; and Dr. Emad Saleh, Head of the Department of Libraries and Information at Helwan University in Cairo. They discussed efforts to translate five leading ALA publications into Arabic to support library professionals across the Middle East and North Africa.
Workshops address AI integration, emotional intelligence, and reading culture
Professional workshops also marked the closing day. Rania Osman, Head of Information Institutions and Professional Development at the Library of Alexandria, led “Using AI to Improve Technical Services.” Hanadi Tayfour, Project Manager and Library Consultant at the Emirates Literature Foundation in Dubai, discussed initiatives to cultivate lifelong reading habits in children in the workshop ‘Reading for Pleasure: Fostering a Lifelong Love for Reading in Children’.
For her part, Wadhaa Ahmed, Digital Content Specialist at the Gulf University for Science and Technology in Kuwait, addressed balancing emotional and artificial intelligence in learning environments during the workshop “Balancing Minds and Machines: Libraries at the Crossroads of Artificial and Emotional Intelligence.” Meanwhile, Delandrus Seales, Teaching and Learning Librarian at the University of North Carolina, explored AI applications in school libraries in the session “Beyond the Buzz: Practical AI for Public, Academic, and School Libraries.”
Malaysian libraries share inclusive community outreach models
The conference also featured a session titled “Malaysian Public Libraries: Outreach and Engagement to Underserved Communities for Connection and Opportunity,” led by Shahzan Effendi bin Zakaria, Director of Kedah State Public Library, and Abdul Rahim Hussein, Director of Perlis State Public Library in Malaysia. They presented initiatives that integrate local communities into library programming. The final workshop, led by Khadija Said Abdelalim Mohamed from Al Tarim American Private School in Sharjah, focused on building effective digital school libraries.
