Forum spotlights role of private libraries

MUSCAT: The 2026 Private Libraries and Cultural Centres Forum began on Monday evening at Maani Muscat Hotel & Suites in Al Seeb, organised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth under the theme 'Partners in Knowledge Empowerment and Building Community Identity'. More than 50 participants from private libraries, cultural centres and the ministry's governorate directorates are taking part.
Muna al Siyabi, Director of the Department of Private Libraries and Cultural Centres, said this year's forum 'marks a shift from focusing on meeting and exchanging experiences to a greater focus on empowerment, partnership and innovation'. The ministry's idea of partnership goes beyond supervision, she said, seeing these institutions 'as an active partner in cultural and knowledge work'.
'A private library or cultural centre is not merely a provider of a cultural service, but a partner in creating knowledge and serving society,' she added.
The programme includes a workshop on 'Integrity and Its Role in Efficient Resource Management', held in coordination with the Oman Vision 2040 Implementation Follow-up Unit and the State Financial and Administrative Audit Authority.

A second workshop focuses on 'Building Knowledge Partnerships and Preparing Initiatives and Proposals'. Presenter Abdullah al Barashdi, Business Development Manager at the Omani Academy for SMEs, said it aims to help participants build effective knowledge partnerships to exchange expertise, turn challenges and opportunities into practical initiatives, and develop them into complete, implementable proposals, ready to present and defend before decision-makers.
The forum concludes on Thursday under the auspices of Shaikh Rashid bin Ahmed al Shamsi, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Social Development for Family Affairs and Community Development, with the announcement of the winners of the fifth Excellence Competition for Private Libraries and Cultural Centres, this year titled 'Digital Innovation Award'.
Al Siyabi said the competition does not require ideas to be implemented, focusing instead on 'the quality of the idea, its applicability and its expected impact', which 'encourages innovation even in institutions still developing their digital infrastructure'. 'A good idea is not necessarily the most technically complex,' she said, 'but the one most capable of delivering real and achievable value.'