Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, has inaugurated a new library, described as a ‘new cultural beacon in the region’.
The Mohammed bin Rashid Library has been built with an investment of AED1 billion ($270 million) and aims to cultivate a culture of reading, while supporting the development of creativity, knowledge and art at both individual and social levels.
The Mohammed bin Rashid Library is part of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI). It has been designed in the form of a wooden stand known as a ‘Rahl’, with a total area of 54,000 square metres.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid said: “The economy needs knowledge, politics needs wisdom, nations need to learn, and all of that can be found in books.
“Through this library, we have brought together millions of books to develop our path, consolidate our identity, culture and roots, and create our future.”
He toured the new cultural landmark, and reviewed the library’s collection, which will officially open its doors to the public on 16th June.
He added: “Our goal is to illuminate the human mind.”
The Mohammed bin Rashid Library aims to help people with various interests, especially youth, to access printed and digital books, in order to shape an Arab generation that understands the role of reading and culture in society’s development.
Across its seven floors, the Mohammed bin Rashid Library features a significant amount of content. This includes more than 1.1 million printed and digital books in Arabic and foreign languages, over six million dissertations and around 73,000 music scores.
Chairman of the Board of Directors at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Library Foundation, Mohammed Al Murr, said, “The Mohammed bin Rashid Library is one of the most unique public libraries in the region and across the world.
“It showcases the history and culture of the UAE and the Arab world, adding a new dimension to the UAE’s knowledge-based economy, helping to redefine the concept of libraries in the 21st-century, setting future trends for the next generation of technology-augmented libraries.”
The Mohammed bin Rashid Library is part of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI).
It is also an environmentally-friendly library that has adopted the highest standards of sustainability, as it gets 10 percent of its energy from solar panels installed on the roof of the building.
The external structure is designed to insulate the building’s interior, reduce heat gain, and help regulate the building’s internal environment.
The library, which is strategically located in the centre of the city, has natural lighting thanks to the ceiling windows in the building, and is designed to reduce water consumption by 50 percent.
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