Sharjah ruler Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi has directed the allocation AED4.5 million (around $1.23 million) to help publishing houses, said local reports on Sunday, November 7.
The amount will apparently be used to purchase the latest publications from publishing houses participating in the Sharjah International Book Fair or SIBF.
The gesture aims to provide public and government libraries in Sharjah with various modern publications in all Arab and foreign scientific, literary, and cultural fields, said the local reports.
It is also expected to help update the knowledge content of the libraries, which constitute a major reference for researchers and readers in the emirate.
The grant also contributes to supporting publishers — around 1,632 Arab and foreign publishers from 83 countries — participating in this year’s SIBF, said the reports.
The publishers are said to be selling 1.3 million unique titles, of which 110,000 are making their SIBF debut.
The current edition of the SIBF — its 40th — has earned the title of the world’s largest book fair. The theme this year is “There’s always a right book.”
The fair began on November 3, and will run till November 13. Its agenda reportedly includes more than 1,000 activities
Among these are 440 cultural sessions, as well as 355 shows, performances, seminars, and workshops for children.
