Ms Athraa Al Alawi, Director of the Library and Learning Resources Centre at Arabian Gulf University (AGU) and Secretary of the Committee of Deans and Heads of Library Affairs in Universities, Higher Education Institutions, and Research Centres in GCC Countries chaired the Committee’s 22nd meeting, which was recently held via videoconference.

The meeting, which brought together representatives from libraries across the Gulf, launched a series of strategic initiatives aimed at strengthening Gulf integration and fostering a shared knowledge future. These initiatives focus on comprehensive benefits aligned with Sustainable Development Goals in areas of quality education, free access to knowledge, and innovation.

A key outcome of the meeting was the establishment of a Gulf consortium for digital resources, enabling member states to collaborate on acquiring information resources at reduced collective costs. Additionally, a unified Gulf library catalogue will be developed, compiling holdings from academic libraries throughout the region to enhance knowledge exchange and facilitate collaborative research. The committee also approved the creation of an official website serving as a unified Gulf platform for documenting work and disseminating achievements. Furthermore, a joint training programme will be launched to strengthen the skills of library and information professionals across the Gulf.

Participants stressed the importance of establishing a mechanism for periodic meetings that combine in-person and virtual sessions, with hosting responsibilities rotating among member states. This approach reflects the principle of balanced partnership and aims to bolster effective cooperation. These initiatives demonstrate the committee’s commitment to mutual benefit, making knowledge accessible to all, and building an integrated knowledge infrastructure that supports the transition to a Gulf knowledge society. They also reinforce the role of libraries as centres of cultural and scientific influence serving all GCC countries.

Through these efforts, the committee affirms its role as an incubator of Gulf cooperation in information exchange, and as a catalyst for achieving integration and excellence in library services, thereby serving the GCC’s vision of building a sustainable knowledge economy and an integrated Gulf society.

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