The digital library initiative launched by Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (DubaiCulture) with an aim of expanding the book-borrowing service is receiving an overwhelming demand. Allowing readers to access a wealth of reading materials across genres and categories, the digital library is helping people enrich their knowledge and explore a variety of books, audio book and video content in recreational, professional, and academic fields, along with continuing education books and linguistic contents. It is due to the highly augmented database of the digital library that readers are able to access and read through various scientific programmes – all this with a Dubai Public Library membership.

The readers are expressing appreciation and gratitude for the initiative and the benefits that it brings about through digital realms. The digital library is being deemed as a qualitative and valuable addition as it not only allows the readers to access thousands of books but also shortens the browsing time and makes the entire experience seamless.

Nisrine Hajj Mohammed said:“I became a member with Dubai Public Library in 2018, and since then it has been a distinguished addition to my sources of knowledge. For all that my children and I need, the digital library is a qualitative leap for us. We in the family love reading. However, due to the physical library locations being far from where we live, it is not always possible to visit. However, with the digital library, we are nearer to the books.”

As part of its efforts to facilitate access to knowledge and allow students, researchers or readers to access knowledge sources from around the world, Dubai Culture’s digital library set up in cooperation with Overdrive, seeks to make knowledge materials available in several forms, including digital books, audiobooks, and videos.

Rashed Saeed Mubarak said: “The digital library provides access to knowledge and reading at any time, specifically during travel when you don’t want to carry books along. The innovative concept of the modern digital library has also made it possible to have your books close to you, especially during the pandemic as physically carrying the books was becoming increasingly difficult. The fact that now we can have books physically and digitally adds immensely to the knowledge that we gain from books.”

From a family of enthusiastic readers, Jumana Abdul Majeed, said:“I became a Dubai Public Library member four years ago. It has been a beautiful journey so far but the digital library is a brilliant addition. I use digital books to read aloud to my children. I think more audiobooks should be added to the digital library, as they are, in my view, more useful than digital books that can be read as we can listen to them while driving or doing housework. I hope the digital experience is further enhanced.”

The comprehensive digital knowledge platform provides over 3,788 books, distributed between digital books, audiobooks and videos, all of which are available to Dubai Public Library members via Dubai Culture’s website, the DPL app, and the Libby app. Members can borrow up to five knowledge materials for seven days (digital and audio-books), and five days (videos).

Another reader,Lee Chow, said: “The digital library service is a wonderful and convenient addition to the existing libraries. Borrowing digital books save time and effort, as well as contribute to preserving the environment, whether by reducing the use of paper, or the use of the car and fuel for commuting.”

Chow added:“I have been a member of the Dubai Public Library since December 2020, and this membership allows me to easily borrow books, which encouraged me to motivate my children, who are between 6 and 9 years old, to read and gain knowledge. My wife, in turn, learned some dishes and cakes from the recipe books that we borrowed from the digital library, and I read some self-improvement books that helped me professionally. “

Dubai Culture continues to develop the comprehensive digital knowledge platform on thousands of books, distributed between e-books, audiobooks and video content, all of which are available to Dubai Public Library members digitally via the website, the DPL app or the Libby app, and are accessed through simple steps.