Region’s biggest kid’s library opens new chapter for the UAE
A futuristic new children’s library in the UAE capital has opened a new chapter for one of the city’s most historic landmarks.
The reading area, the biggest of its kind in the region, recently threw open its doors within the Cultural Foundation center and occupies a space that once housed the national library in the original urban block of Abu Dhabi, called Al-Hosn.
Aimed at kids and their families, the library covers more than
5,250 square meters over three floors and boasts 35,000 volumes in Arabic, English, and French — plus others in Hindi, Spanish, Mandarin and German.
The center includes reading nooks, study rooms, gaming areas, and a state-of-the-art studio, and will offer monthly talks, workshops, and a packed calendar of age-targeted cultural and educational in-house events and activities for children and families.
“We’re a lot more than a traditional library, in many ways we’re a community hub or a center,” Abu Dhabi Children’s Library manager, Michelle Hackwel, told Arab News.
“Our space also encourages families to play together intergenerationally. We want to see family activities and literacy. We want to make connections to the world around us,” she added. Stuffy desks and cubicles have been replaced for lifesized sand-dune installations, camp-themed reading spaces, private treehouses for reading, toddler pens, and an imaginative “creature zone.”
The interactive area was created after gathering the views of children about what qualities they looked for in a library. Answers ranged from needing somewhere quiet to study to looking for a place to hang out with friends and family.
“We want to teach and support literacy at all levels, including reading, communication skills, and digital skills. Children are very smart. We want to broaden their horizons and nurture their growth,” said Hackwel.
The library marks the completion of a major revamp at the Cultural Foundation, one of the most prominent, historic landmarks in the UAE capital, following a 10-year hiatus. In addition to the library, a 900-seat theater, calligraphy workshops, and art exhibitions were also inaugurated this month.