UAE Ministry of Culture Libraries to launch portal before end of year

A number of libraries in the UAE hope to dust off the dull outdated image that is typically associated with libraries, by embracing the digital revolution and introducing online services to the public. Book lovers in the UAE will soon have the chance to browse through the wealth of reading material on offer at the libraries managed by the UAE Ministry of Culture, Youth and Community Development (MCYCD), through the new MCYCD Libraries Portal, announced today at GITEX exhibition in Dubai.

It also falls in line with the bigger plan of the UAE government to move its entire services online.

To do this, the Ministry appointed LINKdotNET, one of the largest Internet Solutions Providers in the Middle East and the company that designed, developed and operates one of the most popular portals in the Middle East today, MSN Arabia. The solution developed by LINKdotNET created a single user-friendly interface through which the public can access the various libraries' existing databases on all of their reading and audio material.

The portal, which can be accessed through www.libraries.gov.ae, offers a host of services designed to replicate online an easy and enjoyable library experience, as well as to create a sense of community around a network of avid readers.

The solution was delivered by Link Development, the rising software export powerhouse and the development subsidiary of LINKdotNET, and is based on Microsoft Visual Studio to develop the portal and Microsoft Content Management Server to update and maintain its content. The advantage of the latter is that it allows assigned library staff to add and update information in the portal easily and independently, which will help to ensure rich and up-to-date content on an ongoing basis. The portal will be available in Arabic only in its initial phase, with the English language site set to follow next year.

This project comes as the latest in a series of e-government solutions that LINKdotNET has developed with the UAE government, including Dubai Municipality, Dubai Customs, Dubai Civil Aviation and the Portal solution of the B2B marketplace Tejari.com.

'We needed a partner that had extensive experience with portal development and management in the region, and had a successful track record with the UAE government and others in the Middle East,' explained Ahmed Al-Haddabi, Head of the Libraries Section, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Community Development. 'In addition, LINKdotNET's depth of knowledge of Microsoft technology was a key factor in the success of this project'.

'With the citizen experience as our primary focus, our aim was to create a portal that allows the public to browse through the library catalogs in an easy and convenient manner,' commented Sherif Dahan, Territory Manager of LINKdotNET. 'Having developed several successful Middle East portals for a variety of audiences, we drew upon our expertise in portal development and integration to make this solution a success.'

The portal offers a powerful search capability allowing users to look up books, articles and various digital materials through a set of detailed search criteria such as title, author, subject and so on. Another important feature is the virtual library, which allows users to read online the full content of e-books available through the portals. Other useful features include a calendar of relevant activities such as book fairs, general information on the libraries, and online applications for library memberships. There are also discussion forums related to reading and education, which the ministry expects to be very popular, as well as latest book reviews.

A special feature of the portal is the children's site, designed with a younger-appealing look and feel and a dedicated search engine for children's reading material. It also includes competitions, and an illustrated character that welcomes visitors to the site.

With various surveys showing literary reading on the decline in several countries across the world, the Ministry aims to counteract this trend by making the library experience easier and more pleasant for the public. This makeover is much needed as libraries globally face the challenge of maintaining interest in the age-old hobby of reading, while competing with hundreds of satellite TV channels and electronic games that have taken over children's leisure time.

For a nominal annual fee, members of the public can have access to the forty-five thousand titles housed within the seven libraries across the UAE. A library membership can be obtained through a visit to the new portal or any public library.

LINKdotNET is showcasing its solutions at Gitex at its demonstration area, located within the Microsoft stand in the Sheikh Rashid Hall, Stand Number C9-1, Pod C2H2.