The Mohammed bin Rashid Library, which will house more than 4.5 million books, one million audio books and two million e-books, rises up on a total area of 66,000m2 in the Jaddaf area on Dubai Creek. Contributing considerably to the promotion of Dubai’s cultural and literary status, the library will also comprise a number of areas for interaction, events, activities and educational and cultural festivals.
The architecture, inspired by the Holy Quran, in particular the Rehl, an X-shaped foldable book rest used for placing the holy book on during recitation, is eye-catching. And the symbolic location on the seashore of Dubai presents itself as a beacon of knowledge and education, as well as a constant reminder of the emirate’s role as a gateway to culture and trade throughout the region.
Standing seven storeys tall, the spectacular architecture can be seen from across the Creek, giving water taxi passengers a prime view of this wonder of the modern world.
A Forum for the Mingling of Cultures
The Mohammed bin Rashid Library is unique and prominent in terms of size and form. The project includes the main building, which consists of a basement, ground floor and seven floors, incorporating a central warehouse for books. It also contains a laboratory for preserving books, collecting and processing materials, and facilities for digital conversion of books.
There are eight specialised libraries within the building too, with approximately a million printed, electronic, and audio books. These include an Information Centre, Arabic Library, Public Library, and Children’s Library, which has corners for reading stories, children’s books, and other activities that play a part in the development of youngsters’ understanding and love of reading. The Family Library focuses on books that cater to the education of the entire family.
The project also includes an International Library, Media Library, Periodicals Library, Audiovisual and Publications Library, Internet Services, Youth Library, Study Rooms, and Meeting Rooms, as well as a private library containing collectibles, books, and rare articles related to the Al Maktoum family.
Other places of interest include the Business Library, multiple open reading areas, permanent exhibitions, temporary exhibitions, theatre, cinema, and book lending corners to allow visitors and tourists to keep abreast of the movement of scientific development in the world. There are also conference and study rooms, exhibition areas, a 544-seat auditorium, a café, and parking spaces.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, wants this project to be a centrepiece of all of the achievements and cultural ideas that the UAE vision carries for a better tomorrow. It is a gift for the educational and cultural movement, and a forum for the mingling of cultures.
This enormous library will host lots of cultural and knowledge events and art exhibitions, where up-to-the-minute technologies will be used. It will be equipped to make it one of the largest electronic libraries in the world. It will also serve as a cultural and scientific movement for the country and a catalyst for reading and scientific research, and will support the writing of books, translation works, and publishing.
Standing Alongside the Best
The Mohammed bin Rashid Library embodies a rich history of cultures and civilisations and is a distinctive cultural landmark in which education, culture and tourism interconnect. The library is a representation of Dubai’s cultural face and a forum that allows users to connect electronically with well-known international libraries to exchange rare and valuable information. The library also offers an integrated database that contains soft copies of its entire contents.
In addition, the Mohammed bin Rashid Library will host the main headquarters of The International Council for the Arabic Language and publish the Mohammad Bin Rashid Contemporary Arabic Language Dictionary.
There is no doubt that the Mohammed bin Rashid Library will stand alongside the largest and most famed libraries in the world.