Abu Dhabi, 7 May, 2011 (WAM) The Emirates Foundation of Philanthropy will allocate AED 200,000 to re-skilling school librarians in the UAE, as part of its ongoing commitment to raising the standard of childrens literature and improving a love of reading.

The Foundation will be building on the success of its Library Grant campaign, launched in 2008 to upgrade school library facilities across the country. Working in partnership with Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC), the Foundation wants to improve the talents of the people most responsible for making the library a learning centre the librarians themselves.

The initiative, funded by CCC, was sparked by responses from the latest round of Library Grant recipients who noted a considerable need and desire by librarians for librarian-training sessions to start in September 2011.

.

Sabha Al Shamisi, Head of the Emirates Foundations Education Programme, said that the new project was a direct response to the librarians' motivation to serve their schools and communities. "Librarian Training will optimize the existing past investments by the Foundation and its partner, CCC."A total of AED 200,000 will be spent in 2011/12 to improve the basic skills of librarians at a number of urban and rural schools in the Northern Emirates where library facilities have already been upgraded.

The training will be conducted by educators specialising in library management. It will cover topics such as: how to stock books for easy student access; how to encourage students to frequent the library and how to inspire creativity through literature.

Since its launch in 2008, the Library Grant project has spent AED 2 million helping 38 schools across Dubai, Sharjah, Fujairah, Umm Al Quwain, and Ras Al Khaimah, to upgrade and improve their library resources.

In 2011 eleven grants have been awarded and existing grantees will benefit from the initial Librarian Training programme The training course will consist of between six and 12 sessions over a 9 month period.

CCC will be included in a committee to select the winning tender and will take part in an evaluation process assessing the programmes impact on the schools.

Ends

Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2011.