First-day sessions explore artificial intelligence, student skills development and improving library user experience
Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri: Libraries today must teach people how to verify information and turn what they know into informed decisions and new knowledge
Sam Helmick: Libraries are critical infrastructure in the shift from the information age to the content age, helping people navigate how information is selected and presented.
Sharjah, November 8, 2026
The 13th Sharjah International Library Conference opened on Sunday, bringing together 400 librarians, experts, academics and library-sector professionals from 16 countries at Expo Centre Sharjah. Organised by the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) in collaboration with the American Library Association (ALA), the conference is being held alongside the 45th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF 2026).
The opening featured H.E. Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, CEO of SBA, and Sam Helmick, Immediate Past President of ALA, who joined virtually, alongside librarians, experts and professionals from around the world.
This year’s conference examines issues shaping the development of library services and their role in education and society, including artificial intelligence, user experience, reading assessment, professional development, innovation and technology, and greater collaboration between knowledge institutions.
Sharjah continues its journey of knowledge
Al Ameri linked the flourishing of libraries to the rise of civilisations and the transmission of knowledge across generations, recalling the early libraries of Mesopotamia and the role of the Library of Alexandria and the House of Wisdom in Baghdad in preserving and advancing knowledge. He said Sharjah continues this tradition through the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, reflected in the emirate’s celebration last year of the centenary of its libraries. He also highlighted the efforts of Her Highness Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of SBA, in supporting books, publishing and reading.
Al Ameri concluded by emphasising that the evolution of knowledge tools, from clay tablets to the digital world, places a responsibility on libraries to empower future generations to build on the achievements of those who came before them.
“Today, it is not enough to pass on what we know to future generations. Our responsibility is to give them the ability to question knowledge, develop it and move beyond its existing boundaries,” he said.
Libraries as ‘critical infrastructure’ in the content age
Helmick said libraries are “critical infrastructure” supporting access to knowledge and community connection. In the “content age”, Helmick said, algorithmically recommended material may not always be verified, making libraries increasingly important in helping people understand how information is selected and presented while protecting privacy and reader autonomy.
“it’s my job to provide; the decision rests with the reader.” Helmick added, saying libraries must continue adapting their services and advocating for fair and sustainable access to digital collections.
Building public AI literacy through libraries
The day’s sessions then turned to practical examples of how libraries are responding to these shifts through AI education, student learning and user-centred services.
In ‘AI for Everyone: The Public Library as a Bridge Between Academia and Society’, Hajar Nagdy, Head of the Technical Skills Unit in the Library Sector at Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Egypt, presented an initiative developed with the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport to make reliable AI knowledge accessible to the public.
“Teaching someone how to use an AI tool is completely different from teaching them how to evaluate it,” Nagdy said, stressing the importance of critical thinking around the accuracy and ethical implications of AI-generated content.
Turning classroom knowledge into real-world experience
From public AI literacy, the discussion moved to how libraries can support applied learning and skills development in schools.
In ‘Empowering Students for the Future: Capacity Building Through the International Business Club’, Sarah Khalil Qeshta, Information Resources Manager and Capacity Building Specialist, and Lamees El Shafi, Head of the English Social Studies Department and Economics and Business Instructor at Dome School in Egypt, presented an approach integrating the school library with business and economics teaching.
They said students applied classroom learning through market research, product development, marketing and sales while building skills in financial planning and research. They added that the library helped students identify reliable sources, use evidence and turn information into practical action.
AI, reading and user experience
The day’s programme also examined technology and user-centred library services. Dr. Wesam Yousef Musleh, a library and information science professional from the UAE, presented ‘The Smart Reading Clinic: An Arabic AI-Based Model for Diagnosing Reading Health in Libraries’, exploring AI-assisted assessment of reading readiness, speed, focus and comprehension.
Turning to the broader user experience, Ayoub Khan, Head of Libraries and Culture at Warwickshire County Council in the United Kingdom and Director of Designing Libraries CIC, led ‘Centering the User Experience: A Selection of UX Best Practices to Better Serve Modern Library Users’, examining how services can respond to evolving user needs.
The day concluded with a Publisher and Librarian Networking session, giving participants an opportunity to connect directly, exchange perspectives and explore areas for future collaboration between publishers, librarians and other professionals across the knowledge sector.
Conference activities began on Saturday, November 7, with two preconference workshops. Dana Ikhlef, Head Librarian at Al-Awael Bilingual School in Kuwait, led ‘Design Thinking for Librarians: Designing Innovative Library Services and Experiences in the Age of AI’, exploring how design thinking can help libraries develop more responsive, human-centred services.
In the second workshop, Dr. Heba Ismail, Libraries Technical Manager at Egypt’s Society for Culture & Development, led ‘Co-Designing a Library That Feels and Listens: A Hands-on UX Workshop with Real-World Library Case Studies from the United States and the United Arab Emirates’, focusing on user experience, empathy and understanding user needs in library design.
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