4 September 2026 15:28|
Last updated:
4 September 15:45 2026
Summary
The Sharjah Forum discusses smart leadership in Library 4.0 through data and technology, honouring winners of the library literature award with prizes totalling 85,000 dirhams.
On 14 and 15 September 2026, the Sharjah Libraries will host researchers, specialists, and Arab information institutions at the 26th edition of the ‘Sharjah Library Literature Award’, coinciding with the 5th Sharjah Forum for Library Literature. The event will focus on the transformations occurring within the library sector and the need for advanced leadership models capable of anticipating change, leveraging modern data and technology, and creating flexible, innovative institutions that meet community needs.
During a previous event of the forum
The forum’s programme will include discussions focusing on three interconnected aspects of smart leadership: strategic planning, community trust and sustainable partnerships, and institutional readiness and crisis management. Additionally, award winners will present their research, experiences, and best practices during independent sessions.
Sharjah Libraries will also honour award recipients across three categories, with a total prize pool of 85,000 dirhams. These categories are: the research category, ‘Best Arab Library or Information Institution’, and ‘Best Project and Practice in the Field of Specialisation.’
Transformation
Eman Bouchelibi, the Director of Library Management, remarked, “The future of libraries is tied to their ability to understand where they want to go and how to utilise their knowledge, data, and technologies to get there. True transformation starts with leadership; its capacity to read change, make decisions, empower teams, and convert new potentials into value that readers and the community can feel.”
Eman Bouchelibi
She continued, “Therefore, this new edition of the award places smart leadership at the core of discussions regarding the fourth era of libraries. ‘Library 4.0’ is not merely about increasing reliance on technology; it refers to an institution that is more flexible and prepared for the future, one that understands its community, learns from its data and experiences, and can respond to changes without losing its mission. Through the forum, we create a space for research to meet practice, raising the questions we need today to create libraries capable of leading transformation rather than merely keeping pace with it.”
The forum’s programme under the theme ‘Smart Leadership in the Fourth Era of Libraries’ will translate into discussions and practical experiences, focusing on the role of leadership in planning, decision-making, building deeper and sustainable relationships with the community, and enhancing institutional readiness and the libraries’ capacity to respond to crises and changes.
The award comprises three categories: the research category, for which the total prize value is 45,000 dirhams, distributed as follows: 20,000 dirhams for the first place, 15,000 dirhams for the second, and 10,000 dirhams for the third. Additionally, there is the ‘Best Arab Library or Information Institution’ category with a value of 20,000 dirhams and the ‘Best Project and Practice in the Field of Specialisation’ category, which also carries a prize of 20,000 dirhams.