Going paperless has become an integral part of the Middle East's digital transformation. Cashless payments and virtual documents are now seamlessly integrated into public services, and biometrics have replaced printed IDs, creating an ecosystem where all information is digitized.
The pandemic has also driven a significant increase in students accessing online portals for remote learning support. Long before this digitization wave took hold, Qatar pioneered a digital library, which has now become the world's largest collection of historic documents and images, with over two million pages digitized.
Established in 2014, this archive is dedicated to preserving items that provide insight into the Middle East's heritage and serves a global audience interested in the region. The archive's users, numbering 1.9 million, primarily come from Arab countries, including Oman and Saudi Arabia. However, it also attracts visitors from the United States and India, offering glimpses into the Gulf's history and enabling an average of 6,000 daily downloads. This resource has greatly facilitated historical research in the Arab world, allowing scholars and researchers to access information in minutes instead of waiting for weeks.
In addition to materials related to world wars and the evolution of the oil sector, the Qatar Digital Library (QDL) also houses rare Arabic documents on various subjects, including mathematics, chemistry, philosophy, and astrology.
Complementing Qatar's achievements, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has collaborated with the global search engine Google to promote Arab storytellers. This initiative involves creating 15,000 pages of information about local authors, focusing on literature to help local talent reach a broader global readership.
Another initiative utilizing digital tools to promote reading is the e-library at Sharjah Airport, where travelers can access thousands of digital books.
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