Khorfakkan University organized the first Libraries Forum in conjunction with World Book and Copyright Day, which falls on April 23rd of each year, with the aim of encouraging emerging generations to practice reading and take an interest in books, and to promote awareness of their role in raising the intellectual levels of individuals and supporting various cultural and creative industries, in cooperation with Sharjah Libraries and United Arab Emirates University Libraries.

 

The forum included various dialogue sessions, with the participation of a number of scientists and researchers in various scientific and cultural fields.

 

Dr. Ahmed Al-Shamma, the university director, stressed the importance of strengthening partnerships with various scientific and cultural institutions in the country, and supporting knowledge and research cooperation for the development of society.

 

He emphasized the importance of books as a cornerstone of intellectual development and scientific progress throughout history. He called for intensified efforts to encourage and support researchers and authors, providing them with a safe and creative environment in university libraries by ensuring access to reliable research resources and facilitating their use, as well as developing services to better serve the needs of students and faculty on campus.

 

The first session was entitled “Information Institutions and Knowledge Security” and was chaired by Dr. Emad Abdel Aziz, Head of Professional Programs and Awards at Sharjah Libraries. Dr. Naeema Al Hosani, Director of the Deanship of Libraries at the United Arab Emirates University, and Iman Bushlaibi, Director of Sharjah Libraries, participated in it.

 

She reviewed the concept of knowledge security, its importance, the methods used by specialists to achieve it, its impact on society and its development, as well as the responsibility of cultural institutions towards providing knowledge security for individuals.

 

The second session, entitled “Copyright and the Challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” was held and was moderated by Dr. Khaled Daqani, Acting Dean of the College of Sharia and Law at Khorfakkan University. Participants included Dr. Al-Mu’tasim Billah Al-Ghariani, Professor of Private Law at the United Arab Emirates University, and Dr. Mu’ayyad Ubaidat, Professor of Commercial Law at Khorfakkan University.

 

It addressed the most important laws and legislation concerning the protection of the rights of authors and researchers, and the most prominent challenges posed by the Fourth Industrial Revolution in authorship and publishing, as well as discussing the possibility of finding appropriate solutions to them.

 

On the sidelines of the forum, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the libraries of Khorfakkan University and Sharjah Libraries, aiming to cooperate in enhancing services at both institutions, providing appropriate access to all available information resources, and supporting expertise that serves the needs of library users and the scientific and professional development of students and academics.