Dubai: After the successful launch of beach libraries, Dubai Municipality has introduced park libraries, another first-of-its-kind initiative in the region.
On Tuesday, Hussain Nasser Lootah, director General of Dubai Municipality, inaugurated the first library in Al Garhoud Park in the presence of senior officials, the civic body said in a press release.
It said the move is in line with the efforts of the municipality to instill love for reading, knowledge, and investment in the minds and culture of the public and motivate them to read as food for the spirit and key to innovation and advancement of human beings.
Lootah pointed out that these libraries have been provided with a wide selection of titles and publications in all fields of knowledge such as culture, science, history and literature. “The books will be available for park visitors in a free and easy manner, enabling them to borrow books directly for reading. They should be returned to their place in the library to enable others to benefit from them,” said Lootah.
He pointed out that the library is equipped with a total of about 70 knowledge sources, in both Arabic and English, to make it easier for the public to learn about the heritage, history, values, traditions and other information of the country by reading the titles available in these libraries.
“In addition, care has been taken to provide special versions for children and adolescents in order to enhance reading habits among young people, with a focus on stories of educational awareness.”
Lootah explained that book shelves have been designed in the shape of the word “Read” in both Arabic and English in a distinctive and innovative way that it attracts park visitors easily. The library has also been provided with a suitable lighting that is powered by solar energy.
He pointed out that the Park Library was launched in Al Garhoud Park as a first phase. “During the next stages, it will be spread over various Dubai parks with new and innovative designs and ideas. It will also represent a qualitative leap in terms of the open space in nature, ”said Lootah.
“We look forward to these libraries as a place welcomed by the visitors of Dubai parks, especially for amateur reading and casual reading for people who look at the parks as the perfect place to enjoy reading books along with entertainment and sports and other activities that they do during their presence in the park,” he said.
“We wish this initiative contributes in establishing the behaviour of reading and dissemination of knowledge as a cultural value among all segments of the society — whether citizens or residents or even the guests of the emirate among visitors of Dubai public parks — reflecting the bright image of the country as a platform for intellectuals and scholars at the Arab and international levels,” said Lootah.
“We also hope this contributes to the creation of a conscious and capable generation, who can keep up with the spirit of the times and has full knowledge of their heritage, values and history so as to enhance the values of loyalty and belonging to the homeland and the wise leadership,” he said.
Donate books to Park Library
A box will be placed in each library that will allow the community to donate books for the benefit of these libraries. This is to enhance the spirit of community participation in the Year of Giving, and also contribute to the sustainability of the initiative by continuously providing new titles and publications, Dubai Municipality said.
Lootah emphasised the prominent role played by the Municipality in promoting the National Reading Law through the preparation of diverse and general reading programmes and activities aimed at different segments of the society, addressing their various concerns and motivating them to develop reading habits as a way of life.
He added that the idea of the initiative is to provide a number of libraries distributed in the parks of Dubai, especially as these parks have been attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors annually during all seasons of the year.
“This aspect makes it one of the ideal sites that contribute to achieve the directives of our leadership in promoting reading as a national and government priority and a prerequisite for development, while at the same time Dubai parks will gain an educational and cultural dimension,” said Lootah.
He stressed that this initiative also aims to bring writers closer to the community and contribute to the entertainment of park visitors.
