By Shaikha Al Gaizi
DUBAI – University students generally restrict reading to academic requirements because they find it difficult to balance between what they like to read and what is required to do because of the coursework.
Maryam Bin Sarhan, a Zayed University librarian, has creatively developed a clever idea to encourage students to read. “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” Bin Sarhan used this motto as a title of the display that clearly illustrates the whole concept.
Around the library’s corners, you would find closed cabinets that include wrapped books with each having its description on it.
“I didn’t want to add the description of the book, because then it wouldn’t be fair,” Bin Sarhan said. This suggests that the notion behind such an idea was to make students more curious and passionate about reading.
You can take your time reading each book description in the displays. Then you can borrow what most grabbed your attention and made you interested to read, and return your book or book at the circulation desk, Bin Sarhan explained.
Since it launched, several members of the ZU community, both faculty and students, enjoyed the exhibit. Bin Sarhan and the rest of the library staff hope that even more people use the displays.
Books in the display are changed every three months or according to how attractive the presented books were. For example, if no book was appealing then the set is subjected to change.
The display is a motivating idea, and it also makes reading more entertaining.
This story was originally published on Nov. 26, 2014. It was re-uploaded on Dec. 23, 2020.
