JEDDAH: Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal yesterday gave the go-ahead for digital libraries in Saudi universities when he opened the first-ever digital library in the Kingdom at the College of Economy and Public Administration at King Abdulaziz University (KAU) in Jeddah.
The library was donated by the Hassan Abbas Sharbatly Establishment. “This library represents a new era in the realm of scientific research in Saudi Arabia, particularly in relation to contemporary elements of research that depends on computers,” said KAU President Osama Tayib.
He said the library would help students, researchers and teaching staff. “Students and teachers will be able to use the library free of charge while outside users will have to pay a nominal annual fee,” he added.
Tayib said the library would be linked to international research centers, as well as to local seminars and conferences.
Muhammad Wajeeh Hassan Al-Sharbatly, one of the owners of the Hassan Abbas Sharbatly Establishment, said the library cost about SR8 million. He added that his establishment donated the library as a “welfare project.” “This is within Saudi Arabia’s drive to deal with international developments in methods of scientific research,” he added.
Al-Sharbatly announced that the establishment will also set up a SR30 million digital library at King Saud University in Riyadh and another SR20 million library at Prince Muqrin University in Madinah. “The concept of digital libraries will expedite the Kingdom’s steps to enter into the high-tech age,” he said.
