Last month, Jeddah hosted an international book fair, the second so far, organized by King Abdul Aziz University. It drew leading publishing houses from various Arab countries and was a commendable effort.
There are, however, some observations that I thought were worth making. The fair was held during Ramadan, which meant that many people were unable to visit it given the fact that the city comes to life only in the evening during the month of fasting. And the evening is a time when most people attend special prayers and take care of their businesses.
Most important to remember is the fact that such exhibitions reveal the very weak link between our children and book shops. As a teacher, I have noticed that my female students seldom go to book shops to look up references and search for textbooks. I often ask them to go to book shops and look for additional sources so that they can produce well-researched studies. The reason I ask them to do so is that many of our university libraries are poor and lack necessary materials.
The response I often hear from my students is that they can’t do what I asked them because their parents will not allow them to visit book shops. Instead, the parents ask their daughters to write down the kinds of books they need and give the list to a brother or driver who will go and get the books. The parents argue that book shops are places reserved for men and, as such, women should not visit them.
When I ask my students if their parents allow them to go to the market, even without a mahram (male guardian), the answer is yes, since the parents see no harm in this. What a contradiction! Our markets and shopping centers are bustling with male and female shoppers of all ages and classes. Parents allow their daughters to go shopping without any restrictions but when it comes to book shops they say no.
Women attend consumer product exhibitions, festivals and recreation centers where men and women mix; yet they are not allowed to visit shops selling books. Families spend hundreds of riyals each week taking their children to recreation centers and places for amusement; fortunes are spent buying children expensive new clothes — and virtually nothing for buying books.
Book fairs are a golden opportunity to encourage children to develop a love of reading. Taking children to such places and helping them choose suitable books is good mental exercise — far better than parking children in front of TV screens for hours. Why not allow our children to pass time doing useful and beneficial things?
