A View of the Prospects for Sharing Information Resources through Networks in the Arabian Gulf Region: A Case Study of the United Arab Emirates

Abstract

This academic abstract examines the prospects for sharing information resources through networks in the Arabian Gulf region, using the United Arab Emirates as its principal case study. The text investigates the feasibility of cooperative networking among libraries and information institutions and critically evaluates the relevant enabling and limiting factors, including sharable resources, communication facilities, available technologies, and potential obstacles. It presents the issue within a multidisciplinary framework that connects institutional capacity, technological development, and the growing needs of information users. The abstract also indicates that the UAE had made rapid progress in communications modernization, yet had not fully translated that progress into an equally effective information service environment.

The text further shows that demand for information was increasing, while access remained only partly supported by isolated collections in academic, governmental, and private institutions. It therefore argues that a networking project for resource sharing would be both beneficial and feasible, particularly given the positive professional attitude among librarians and library administrators. The study ultimately concludes that such a network must be planned within a coherent national information policy and supported by professional skills, financial resources, stronger local collections, technical standards, technological infrastructure, and a collectively chosen governing body.