Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation, MBRF, has launched its ‘Dubai Digital Library' initiative, Dubai DL, in line with the directives of Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of MBRF.

The initiative aims to provide a sophisticated electronic platform, offering a huge collection of Arabic books, including translations, as well as Arabic and foreign periodicals, dictionaries, biographies, and maps.

The Dubai DL Initiative seeks to keep pace with the rapid changes taking place in the field of publishing, driven by the growth of technology and the wide-spread use of internet and smart devices for reading and research work in countries around the world.

Explaining that the foundation is keen to create innovative projects that offer advanced platforms in the transfer of knowledge and Arab culture, Jamal bin Huwaireb, Managing Director of MBRF, said the first phase of the Dubai DL will be launched during the last quarter of this year.

"The Dubai Digital Library initiative is one of the ambitious projects of MBRF, which aims to enrich Arabic content on the internet and support the promotion of the Arabic language. The Library will appeal to most people as it fits in with modern requirements and covers specialised areas," Huwaireb said.

The first phase of Dubai DL will include more than 1,600 books covering a range of subjects, including language, medicine, pharmacy, geography, history, religion, and sociology. The Library will provide access to massive authentic knowledge resources through various search options and tools that offer quick and extensive results. Visitors will be able to benefit from several other services, including advanced search options, either by topic name, author or date. They will also be able to add comments or take part in discussions on various topics.

The Library will have a customised section for newspapers and magazines published in Arabic. Another section will offer access to ancient and modern dictionaries, enabling readers to gain insights on the development of language and modern literature. It will also contain a large number of biographies of personalities who have influenced Arab civilisation and development.

Audio recording of some works will be provided to enable people with special needs to benefit from the Library. Additionally, a multi-media exhibition will offer photographs, videos and sound recordings, enriching the content of the Library.
Source: WAM