Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre Unlocks Access to 30,000 Global Digital Libraries
Key Highlights :
Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC) collaborates with OverDrive to offer over 30,000 digital collections of e-books and audiobooks to the global community.
Programme boosts the promotion of Arabic writers, literature, and culture on prominent global and regional digital channels.
Key Background :
Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC) of the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi has been at the forefront of protecting, developing, and preserving the Arabic language. The recent partnership with OverDrive, the global leader in providing digital content, is a turning point in availability for Arabic literary material to global readers. Global readers can access over 30,000 e-libraries of e-books and audiobooks covering a range of topics and genres.
The expansion is in line with the Centre's mission of further entrenching the status of the Arabic language during a changing digital world. Through the complementing of traditional publishing activities by revolutionary platforms, the ALC preserves the Arabic content in its original and made accessible to generations yet to come. Wajeez Al Kutub project, for instance, includes book summaries and listening modes that aim at instilling culture of reading in our modern digitally oriented societies.
Author promotion is one of the building blocks for the project. Arab and Emirati authors are promoted by programs such as Esdarat and the Qalam Creative Writing Program, where they are provided with an international platform by local writers. Shortlisted books are examined rigorously for copyright clearance by their owners, quality, and fame before being included in the library. The process ensures quality work being performed with the finest heritage being incorporated into contemporary narratives.
Distribution range is the second key ingredient. With the inclusion of the international mainstream providers like Amazon, Apple Books, and Google Books to the ones at home like Neel Wa Furat and Storytel, the ALC receives global coverage. This is worrying since it provides the Arabic authors broader coverage alongside intellectual property rights protection through existing online forums.
The core of the project revolves around Medad Library Services Platform, which is a welcoming platform that is easy to use. The readers browse, borrow, and subscribe online, and the platform also targets establishing and developing more in the future with additional resources and information. With its availability, the readers within the region and globally can access Arabic content easily.
This digital leap is a reflection of Abu Dhabi’s broader cultural strategy, which aims to position the city as a global hub for knowledge and innovation. By bridging heritage and technology, the ALC is ensuring that Arabic literature is not only preserved but also dynamically shared with the world, embodying Abu Dhabi’s vision of fostering dialogue, cultural exchange, and intellectual growth.
About the Author
Mia Jones
Mia Jones is a Managing Editor at Education Excellence Magazine.