Reading RatesA Khaleej Times article looks between the covers to reveal the reading habits and trends in the UAE and countries of the Persian Gulf.
Karen Ann Monsy says that reading in the Gulf still lags behind developed countries.
* The average Arab reads only 6 minutes a year (Arab Human Development Report, 2003).
* One library book is borrowed yearly for every four persons in the UAE c.f. In many western countries the lending (and hopefully reading) rate is noticeably higher with every person borrowing four books a year.
Recent Initiatives
Recent initiatives in the UAE are addressing this situation and setting the pages in motion.
Karen Ann Monsy writes about the initiatives to get people reading in the United Arab Emirates and the Gulf countries.
Link
Karen Ann Monsy, Between the Covers, Khaleej Times, 11 September 2009.
Dr Geoff Pound
Geoff can be contacted by email at geoffpound(at)gmail.com on Facebook and Twitter.
* The average Arab reads only 6 minutes a year (Arab Human Development Report, 2003).
* One library book is borrowed yearly for every four persons in the UAE c.f. In many western countries the lending (and hopefully reading) rate is noticeably higher with every person borrowing four books a year.
Recent Initiatives
Recent initiatives in the UAE are addressing this situation and setting the pages in motion.
Karen Ann Monsy writes about the initiatives to get people reading in the United Arab Emirates and the Gulf countries.
Link
Karen Ann Monsy, Between the Covers, Khaleej Times, 11 September 2009.
Dr Geoff Pound
Geoff can be contacted by email at geoffpound(at)gmail.com on Facebook and Twitter.
