In his remarks, President of the Arab Federation for Libraries and Information (AFLI) Prof. Emad Issa Saleh discussed the transformations libraries have undergone and the shifts in user needs and expectations driven by digital advancement. He emphasized the importance of launching innovative initiatives to attract users and developing services that align with their aspirations.

He emphasized that the key challenge facing libraries is reaching segments of the population that do not currently visit them, a task that requires listening to users and understanding their needs and perspectives. He noted that QNL possesses outstanding initiatives and experience that contribute to spreading culture, fostering learning, and facilitating access to knowledge.

He indicated that the AFLI seeks to document best practices adopted by Arab libraries and to exchange expertise regarding them, thereby supporting the advancement of library operations and the launch of initiatives rooted in the needs of Arab societies, rather than simply importing experiences from outside the region.

Representatives of seven regional libraries, namely, the House of Wisdom in Sharjah, Abdul Hameed Shoman Public Library in Jordan, Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) Library in Qatar, Ithra Library in Saudi Arabia, Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Egypt, the Iraqi National Library and Archives, and Sultan Qaboos University Library in Oman, then shared how their institutions are making a positive impact in their communities.

In the forum's first day, attendees joined six breakout sessions on topics ranging from cultural memory and active citizenship to digital knowledge systems and children's futures, including presentations by the Library’s specialists on the Manara research repository and on investing in childhood through libraries.

On Oct. 15, a panel discussion on reimagining libraries as social infrastructure will range from building a fair future through artificial intelligence (AI) to library transformation in the Middle East and North Africa.

It will be followed by parallel sessions: a breakout session on harnessing AI to strengthen social infrastructure, and a series of lightning talks by library and information professionals. The forum will close with remarks by Katia Medawar, Director of Public Engagement at QNL.

The forum began on Oct. 13 with an interactive pre-forum workshop, "Co-Designing the Social Library: Tools for Community-Led Transformation," led by Assistant Professor and Head of the Information School at Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University Dr. Khulud Ali Sahhari.

The workshop equipped participants with practical frameworks and participatory design methods to shape services and spaces that build social capital and bridge digital and social divides.

The forum aims to highlight the pivotal role of libraries in empowering community members by ensuring equitable access to technology, fostering digital literacy, and supporting lifelong learning, leveraging the unique position libraries hold in building informed, connected, and thriving communities.

In this context, the forum highlights the role of libraries in equipping individuals with essential digital and knowledge-based skills, and in providing nurturing environments that foster collaboration and exploration while boosting self-confidence and independence, thereby enabling them to participate actively in the digital age.

It also focuses on supporting lifelong learning and expanding educational, professional, and economic opportunities by enabling individuals to acquire the skills and competencies necessary for their personal growth and the realization of their future aspirations.

To achieve its objectives, the forum relies on several key pillars, especially expanding digital access and social inclusion by connecting underserved groups with technology, knowledge resources, and free training. It also focuses on fostering informed and active citizenship, promoting positive societal engagement, and strengthening community ties by providing spaces for collaboration, dialogue, and the exchange of experiences. (QNA)