SBA studies how Malaysia changes former cinemas into libraries

The Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) has strengthened its international outreach during a visit to Kuala Lumpur, stepping up efforts to expand partnerships and reinforce Sharjah’s status on the global publishing map.

Programme activity focused on deepening ties with Big Bad Wolf and BookXcess, alongside gaining insight into Malaysia’s publishing and retail ecosystem, including supply chains, procurement models and pricing structures.

The delegation also examined how Malaysia has positioned libraries as cultural and tourism destinations, attracting readers, families and creative communities, and reviewed business and operational models behind successful library and book retail projects.

SBA’s visit reflects Sharjah’s vision of investing in knowledge and advancing the creative industries, guided by His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and the directives of Sheikha Bodour Bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of SBA, to expand international partnerships and explore leading global publishing models, reinforcing Sharjah’s position as a global hub for books and culture.

Strengthening cooperation: The authority delegation, including Majid Al Nuaimi, Director of Partnerships and Investment at SBA, and Iman Ben Chaibah, Director of Strategic Initiatives and Global Markets at SBA, held a meeting with Adibah Omar, Chief Executive Officer of Kota Buku and a third-place winner of the PublisHer Excellence Awards, who had previously participated in programmes organised by the Authority.

Discussions covered opportunities for cooperation and alignment between Sharjah’s vision for supporting publishing and Kota Buku’s efforts to develop the sector’s knowledge and digital infrastructure.

Both sides also reviewed potential cross-market cultural initiatives, knowledge exchange programmes, professional development in the publishing sector, and the expansion of Arabic content's reach in Asian markets.

Rethinking library spaces: During the visit, the delegation reviewed Malaysian models for transforming libraries into interactive cultural and community destinations, including RexKL and My Town within the BookXcess network.

These models include repurposing non-traditional spaces, such as former cinemas, into libraries and integrating reading with cultural tourism and community engagement.

The delegation also examined innovation in book retail, business and investment models for successful library projects, supply mechanisms, purchasing policies and discounted pricing strategies, as well as the potential to expand discounted book fair concepts across markets.

The visit is part of SBA’s wider efforts to build partnerships with global publishing players, adopt proven models, support industry growth and expand readership, while reinforcing Sharjah’s role as a gateway for Arab publishing to international markets.