Khaberni - Abdul Hameed Shoman Library continuously strives to keep up with the advancements of the era, particularly digital developments; aiming to provide a wide array of services designed to meet the needs of researchers, students, readers, and anyone seeking knowledge development.
In order to achieve this aim, Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation launched its electronic library platform, providing readers the opportunity to access thousands of books easily and from anywhere in the world where accessing knowledge has become faster than ever before. The library is no longer just a place we visit; it is an experience that can accompany us wherever we are.
The general library manager at the foundation, Nizar Al-Hamoud, pointed out that the electronic library is a digital extension of Shoman Libraries, which has been known for its pioneering role in disseminating knowledge since its public library was established in 1986. From the outset, the library aimed to provide knowledge to everyone and make its sources freely and comprehensively available to the community.
He specified that the electronic library includes more than 3,250 diverse titles of e-books and audiobooks, ranging from world literature and classics to a wide array of books in various knowledge fields. Besides e-books which can be read directly on a phone or computer, it also provides audiobooks that can be listened to at any time, noting that this feature makes reading more flexible, as a book can accompany the reader while moving or during daily activities.
He explained that the library features a diverse content that suits all age groups; it includes books and stories for children to develop a love of reading and imagination, in addition to books for young adults and adolescents, and a wide range of literary and knowledge books that interest adult readers, emphasizing that one of the main advantages of the electronic library is the ease of access to it; any reader can use it from anywhere in the world via a mobile phone or any internet-connected device, and upon registration, the user can browse the digital collection and borrow books easily.
Al-Hamoud stated that the digital borrowing experience mimics the traditional library experience; a reader can borrow a book for up to 14 days, after which the book automatically returns to the library to be available for other readers, which allows the circulation of knowledge among a larger number of them, indicating that interested individuals can subscribe to the electronic library by visiting the foundation's website to get details.
He pointed out that since its launch in Shoman Library in 2019, more than 20,000 users have benefited from it, reflecting the growing role of digital libraries in expanding the reading circle and making knowledge available to more readers. He also mentioned that the services of the electronic library are available free of charge to everyone, both inside and outside the Kingdom.
Al-Hamoud concluded by saying that Abdul Hameed Shoman's electronic library is not just a platform for reading books; it is a window opened to a vast world of knowledge, and an example of how technology can bring books closer to people more than ever before. It is simply a large library... but the size of a phone in your pocket.
