The first session of the Dubai International Conference on Library Affairs 2024, under the theme "Our Libraries: Past, Present, and Future," organized by the "Mukhammadi Library of Rashid Ben Saeed." The events will take place until November 17 and will gather more than 70 speakers from over 27 countries.
The conference will feature prominent individuals in the field of library affairs, such as Dr. Zaki Anwar Nasib, cultural consultant of the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the UAE, Dr. Ahmed Zaid, Director of the Alexandria Library, Fakhri al-Maamari, President of the United Arab Emirates Library Association, Dr. Abdullakh Khalifa Al-Hafiti, Deputy President of Khalifa University, and Kristyn In.
Professor Stuart, Associate Professor at Zaid University, will participate in the conference along with Sharone Memes, Secretary-General of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, Louis Kofi-Jin, President of the British Library Association and Information, Professor Mohsen Al-Musavi from Columbia University, Dr. Saif Al-Jabiri, Regional Representative of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions for the "IFLA" Library, and Ben Barry, Director of Digital Services at the British Library in the United Kingdom, as well as many other leaders and cultural figures interested in library affairs from around the world.
The total number of participants in this large-scale conference will be around 2000 individuals from different countries of the world, with diverse expertise, professional experience, and cultural backgrounds in the field of library affairs, information and archives, including academics, practitioners, government employees, and decision-makers in this vibrant sector for exchanging ideas, experiences, and knowledge on the latest practices in the library and information sector.
Among the topics discussed at the conference will be more than 66 masterclasses and panel discussions addressing issues such as library systems, intellectual property, artificial intelligence, sustainable libraries, preservation and restoration of archives, and the role of philanthropy in ensuring access to books.
The first day of the conference will include sessions with stimulating discussions on the roles of libraries during the era of artificial intelligence, with a focus on future digital opportunities, issues of integrating artificial intelligence in libraries, studying iconic libraries with rich cultural legacies, and the role of public libraries in bridging cultural gaps and preserving legacies.
The second day will encompass a series of sessions that assess libraries' readiness for future challenges, following events and consequences of cyberattacks on the British Library in London, and they will address issues of open access to information, the role of academic libraries in stimulating innovations, as well as exploring Uzbekistan's cultural heritage and its development.
On the third day of the conference, discussions will consider the challenges of artificial intelligence in the library sector and the emirate model in this leading sector, as well as the development of the publishing industry in the United Arab Emirates and the role of the United Arab Emirates Library Institute in enhancing cooperation between universities.
Sessions will also include working masterclasses on preservation and restoration, using artificial intelligence in translations, as well as a session on the art of storytelling with an emphasis on the evolution of books as an art form from ancient times to our days, and the multitude of other related issues.
At the conference's exhibition, the latest technologies and innovations from companies like Klarivet, Nesig, the Saudi Library Association, Fullit, future management of libraries and information in academic institutions and the private sector.
