7 days ago
Dialogue debates libraries' role in sustainable development
MUSCAT: The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth on Monday conducted a dialogue session titled 'Culture, Library Science, and Sustainable Development' as part of the Civilisational Horizons programme.
The session debated the challenges facing libraries due to the digital revolution and the spread of the Internet, and how libraries have been able to adapt to these transformations and provide reliable information. It also highlighted the role libraries play in supporting education, scientific research and innovation.
The session addressed the relationship between culture and Library and Information Science (LIS), and the role of libraries as cultural institutions that have contributed throughout the ages to enriching human culture and promoting the values of pluralism, tolerance and freedom of expression.
The session highlighted the vital role libraries play in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by organising knowledge and managing the vast intellectual output through smart systems that keep pace with technological developments.
The session discussed the contributions of libraries to enhancing artificial intelligence, thanks to their vast databases, and their role in training users to use these technologies to produce reliable and knowledge-based texts. It also addressed the reality of LIS in the Sultanate of Oman, the information strategy and digital transformation within the Oman Vision 2040 as well as the most prominent challenges facing the library sector in the Sultanate of Oman. It also reviewed investment opportunities in cultural and creative industries and the role of libraries in this field. — ONA
