Sharjah Showcases Digitization of More Than 18 Million Knowledge Assets at International AI Library Conference

Coimbra, Portugal | EcoPulse24

Sharjah Public Libraries presented its large-scale digital preservation strategy at the international conference "Digitizing Historic Libraries in the Age of Artificial Intelligence", hosted by the University of Coimbra in Portugal, showcasing its experience in digitizing more than 18 million knowledge assets and preserving historical collections through advanced digital technologies.

The presentation highlighted Sharjah's integrated approach to safeguarding cultural heritage by combining high-resolution digitization, scientific cataloguing, sustainable digital infrastructure and international institutional partnerships to make rare collections more accessible to researchers, students and the wider public.

AI Supports Preservation - But Human Expertise Remains Essential

Speaking during the conference, Eman Bushlaibi, Director of Sharjah Public Libraries, emphasized that digitizing historic libraries extends far beyond creating digital copies of manuscripts.

She said successful digital preservation requires a comprehensive framework that integrates advanced imaging technologies, metadata standards, scientific verification and long-term digital preservation, while ensuring that librarians, archivists and subject-matter experts remain central to the process.

"Sharjah views cultural heritage as a shared responsibility that extends beyond any single institution," Bushlaibi said, adding that artificial intelligence can significantly accelerate access to knowledge but cannot replace professional expertise in cataloguing, authentication and preserving the historical context of archival materials.

International Partnerships Drive Digital Heritage Projects

Sharjah highlighted several cross-border initiatives that demonstrate its collaborative approach to preserving documentary heritage.

Among them is the ongoing partnership with Milan's Ambrosiana Library, which aims to digitize more than 2,500 rare Arabic manuscripts, some dating back over 450 years, making them accessible through Sharjah Public Libraries under a memorandum of understanding signed in 2021.

The presentation also referenced the Joanina Library Project in Portugal, one of Europe's largest historic library digitization initiatives, covering approximately 18 million digital images and nearly 30,000 historical volumes under a program extending through 2031.

At the local level, Sharjah showcased the Khorfakkan University manuscript digitization project, implemented in cooperation with the Sharjah Manuscripts House, where manuscripts undergo conservation, sterilization, cataloguing and digitization before being integrated into a searchable platform featuring text recognition, image search and augmented reality technologies.

Four Major Challenges Facing Historic Library Digitization

The conference identified four key challenges affecting large-scale digitization projects:

• Technical challenges related to OCR accuracy, particularly for historic Arabic manuscripts with diverse calligraphy styles.

• Organizational challenges involving sustainable funding, governance and long-term implementation.

• Ethical considerations surrounding bias in historical collections and digital datasets.

• Long-term sustainability to ensure digital archives remain accessible for future generations.

Supporting the UAE's AI Vision

Bushlaibi noted that Sharjah's digital preservation strategy aligns with the UAE's broader artificial intelligence agenda, including the UAE National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2031 and the UAE Artificial Intelligence Charter 2024, while also building upon Sharjah's long-standing cultural mission following its designation as UNESCO World Book Capital 2019.

Key Figures

EcoPulse24 Analysis

Sharjah's presentation illustrates how digital preservation is evolving from a traditional cultural initiative into a strategic component of the global knowledge economy. As artificial intelligence increasingly relies on high-quality, well-structured datasets, digitized libraries and archival collections are becoming valuable digital assets that support education, scientific research and AI model development.

The emirate's emphasis on combining advanced technologies with professional archival expertise also highlights an important distinction in the AI era: while machine learning can accelerate discovery and accessibility, the authenticity, historical context and scientific integrity of cultural heritage continue to depend on human specialists.

By investing in international partnerships, digital infrastructure and long-term preservation projects, Sharjah is positioning itself not only as a regional cultural center but also as a contributor to the future of AI-enabled knowledge management. These initiatives reinforce the UAE's broader ambition to integrate artificial intelligence into education, research and public institutions while safeguarding historical heritage for future generations.