3000 books for borrowing or viewing, and holding meetings and lectures in various fields of knowledge.
Sultan Al Mahrouqi: “The library seeks to be a beacon of knowledge and a learning center for the people of Wiayat Adam through the services and information it provides.”
Libraries are an important source of shaping the culture of societies and the formation and refinement of the personalities of its members. The public library of Adam includes many arts of science and knowledge in various sciences, literary, scientific, historical, and geographic fields, as well as biographies, encyclopedias and other sciences and arts. Libraries have their lovers and patrons who love books and read them to gain wealth in various sciences and knowledge, and it is worth mentioning for this nation that the first verse of the Holy Qur’an was revealed in The Almighty says: “Read in the name of your Lord who created” That is why the interest came in establishing libraries and cultural centers, holding forums and book fairs, and setting various programs, activities and events to encourage and pay attention to reading.
In the Wilayat of Adam in the Governorate of Al Dakhiliyah, a civil library was established under the name of “Adam Public Library,” which was announced on September 21 of last year under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth.
To get acquainted with the library and its details, we met with Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad bin Sultan Al Mahrouqi, Chairman of the Library’s Board of Directors, who spoke by saying: “The Adam Public Library provides its services to intellectuals and readers from the people of the state and abroad through borrowing and reading books, providing courses, meetings, lectures, reading councils and various programs in addition to interest in young people and school students.
Objectives and vision of the library
On the library’s goals and vision, Al Mahrouqi explained, that it provides services to students and researchers in their studies and research, builds connections and relations among them, contributes to raising young people on research, reading and conscious reading, inculcates the values of belonging and citizenship among young people and immunizes them from destructive ideas, in addition to refining and developing the cultural and artistic talents of young people and emerging people and spreading awareness scientifically and technically by providing general information and knowledge to those wishing, including books and references, as well as supporting efforts in spreading and distributing culture in the country and encouraging education by making use of the public library resources.
Difficulties facing libraries
On the difficulties that libraries face for their visitors, Al-Mahrouqi pointed out that scientific devices and phones kept people away from books, and said: “The world of paper books has begun to decline in light of the technological revolution, and the evidence is that many of the most famous international newspapers and periodicals, magazines and paper supplements have closed their printing presses and turned to electronic publication, as well as the reluctance to read naturally in the world of intellectuals and readers is no longer the same as it was before. The current generation has occupied itself with following entertainment channels such as matches and electronic games, which have great harm on the honorable reader. Libraries do not have the financial ability to purchase modern devices that are useful for the current generation of computer laboratories and smart screens. Al-Mahrouqi hoped that there would be support from the private sector, such as telecommunications companies, to provide free webs for private libraries to help their visitors search for knowledge and information, especially to attract school and university students and researchers. Among the difficulties are also the distances of the libraries’ places from students, especially those who do not have the means of transportation to reach them to benefit from the library and its amenities.
The needs of private libraries
Al-Mahrouqi touched on the needs of civil libraries, which were represented in modern buildings and ideal constructions, which include large halls, the provision of computers, smart screens, appropriate furnishing, and the availability of fast Internet networks, in addition to the provision of financial support by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, as well as the appointment of employees with a monthly salary to continue in the library on a regular basis. It all will help to attract readers and researchers to the library at all times.
future view of the library
And between Al Mahrouqi’s ambition and future outlook, the library and its administrators are always looking to reach the largest segment of society to benefit from it, as well as to extricate young people from the harmful electronics world to the traditional and smart desktop world to have a role in creating a conscious society of intellectuals, authors and readers, so that a generation capable of bearing responsibility towards themselves, their family, society and country, because in this mysterious and open world, future generations are in great danger. These libraries and cultural centers must have a role in immunizing children from the danger of the encroachment of electronic armies and their strange and extraneous ideas that destroy societies, destroy the minds of young people and destroy religion, and this is the reality in Muslim societies now where young men and girls are influenced by atheism and are changing their concepts and dispersing their thoughts. These libraries must contribute to immunizing children against these toxic and destructive ideas. The library looks to improve its role from a traditional library to a center in the future .Comprehensive scientific research with innovation halls and holding scientific conferences that attract scientists, thinkers and authors from different countries of the world.
Library events and programs
Al-Mahrouqi touched on the library’s activities and programs, explaining that the library organizes many different events, such as: electronic cultural competitions and Ramadan Holy Qur’an competitions, in addition to the organization of the Readers Council, which organizes a session almost every month to read, analyze and criticize a specific book in which a group of people interested in reading attend. They were discussed in the book “For this reason, America will become extinct” by the author Alg Platonov, the book “Mecca spoke to me” by Dr. Salem Al-Busaidi, the novel “The Black Banners” by Najib Al-Kilani, and the book “Memoirs of an Arab Princess” by Mrs. Salama bint Al-Sayed Saeed bin Sultan.
The programs also varied from lectures and educational courses, including a scientific lecture entitled “Physics and Astronomy”, a scientific lecture entitled “Annular Eclipse of the Sun” and educational courses in addition to courses in computer, English and others. The library also includes a number of different halls in use, including the administrative office and the library hall, readers’ council, children’s library, multi-use halls such as studio and classrooms for different courses.
Al-Mahrouqi pointed out that the library is still in its infancy, since it lacks the appropriate facilities or preparations to contain the large number of books and encyclopedias.
