Public libraries to be revamped

The Ministry of Culture and Information is expected to open women’s sections in public libraries around the Kingdom, where Saudi women of different majors will be recruited. There are more than 80 public libraries in the country. Nasser Al-Hujailan, the ministry’s Undersecretary for Cultural Affairs, said at the conclusion of the first Forum for Public Libraries Specialist last week in Riyadh that the ministry will improve these libraries and will build new ones. Improvements will include the use of modern technology.
Al-Hujailan said the ministry has allocated funds in its new budget for the implementation of a strategic plan for the development of public libraries including the creation of digital libraries and the linking of existing ones all over the Kingdom electronically.
He stressed the importance of public libraries playing their social and intellectual roles in terms of transferring knowledge to all segments of society.
Deputy Minister of Culture and Information Abdullah Al-Jaser said at the forum that there is a need for building new libraries based on modern architectural models that are environment friendly and with capabilities that enable the public to visit them and benefit from them. Al-Jaser said that 50,000 books will be available in electronic copies, as part of the new services at public libraries.