Hassan Cheruppa
Saudi Gazette
For over three years, two double-decker buses are moving around the Kingdom disseminating knowledge by reaching readers at their doorsteps.
King Abdulaziz Mobile Public Library was launched three years ago in realization of a big dream of the late King Abdullah. “We are moving throughout the Kingdom publicizing King Abdulaziz Public Library and its services. We stop only for maintenance and for taking rest,” Fahd Al-Haif, supervisor of the library, told Saudi Gazette.
“This is the first time the mobile library is visiting Jeddah. We are overjoyed to see a huge number of people, especially youngsters, visiting the library. Many visitors were excited and amazed to see the arrangements at the library, which is on a par with world class libraries in the West,” he said, adding that the library’s next destination is King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Thuwal. The tour will cover Makkah and Taif also, he said.
Al-Haif said the mobile library was established as an affiliate of King Abdulaziz Public Library at the expense of King Abdullah. The library, under the leadership of its director Abdullah Al-Moqbel with eight staff members, has been instrumental in cultivating the reading habit among Saudis and expatriates by enabling them to have easy access to books. The ground level of the library is an external annex with books and a reading room with seating for 12 people. The upper level has a small theater for children and Internet services for visitors. The mobile library is providing almost all the services offered by King Abdulaziz Public Library, and the services include reference, photocopying, and lending of books, all free of cost.
The library houses more than 3,000 titles, and these include all branches of knowledge such as theology, sports, philosophy, language, politics, history, social sciences, natural and physical sciences, in addition to children’s books.
“The library maintains contacts with other libraries and takes part in book fairs, festivals, university and school graduation ceremonies, as well as traditional festivals, including summer and winter festivals around the Kingdom. There will be a presence of the library at any event or place where people gather such as beaches, parks, gardens, souks, commercial centers, exhibitions and festivals,” Al-Haif said, adding that the library focuses more on visiting regions where there are no public libraries.
The library, in coordination with the concerned agencies, also takes part in programs aimed at eradicating illiteracy. It helps students take photocopies of text books available on its shelves.
According to Al-Haif, the library has become a big fascination for children. “Realizing this, we conduct short programs known as ‘Hakawati’, for children to train them in drawing pictures, painting, and Arab calligraphy and story-telling. As part of the programs, which run for two to three days, we organize competitions for children focusing on the history and culture of Saudi Arabia, as well as its rulers, mainly King Abdulaziz and his successors, and distribute prizes among winners and participants.”
