The ceiling of the Louvre Abu Dhabi was lowered into place just three weeks ago. The excitement created a buzz among the community and the UAE as a whole. One person is critical to the success of the resources available within the museums and supporting the cultural research needs of the curators, visitors and scholars.
Shaikha Al Muhairi is one of the leading librarians responsible for harnessing the power of information to ensure Abu Dhabi Cultural Authority staff is empowered to create, innovate and design with the highest level of authoritative sources and research required to ensure they retell the history of UAE accurately and thoroughly. Her role as Cultural Resource Centre Manager is critical to the success of the organization. She serves as the research consultant to the meet the information needs of the cultural hub that is thriving in UAE as we speak. If they are curating a new exhibit they seek her expertise for background research, subject specific publications and fact checking. Librarians develop the competitive intelligence to drive cultural, business and education organizations.
“The challenge of starting a library from a shelf of books and nothing else is quite daunting; unlike starting in an established library. You have to create things from scratch, systems, policies, procedures, equipment, interiors and of course collections. The biggest challenge would be embedding research and professional readings in the daily routine of the employees.”
She sparks innovation and creativity within her staff through a series of Discovery Lectures from experts in the fields based on a staff members preliminary presentation on the topic and how it can enhance the cultural experience of the stakeholders. The Discovery Series serves as a interdisciplinary /multi-disciplinary approach which provides a forum for the different professionals to learn about their counterparts/colleagues’ area of specialization. She is dedicated to hosting educational seminars in the area of Museum and Cultural Studies to educate the community of professionals in the region.
“The future of the CRC depends on the librarians ability to respond to the ever changing needs of the employees in a proactive manner. Adding value to the employees professional practice will make the CRC an integral part of their professional life.”
Cecila Danboyi, experienced curator, and I had an opportunity to visit the rich information center housed in the Cultural Authority complex. Shaikha is an expert in her field and has put in her 10,000 hours to hone her expertise in searching, collection development, project management, staff management and many other skills she utilizes to effectively in her unit. She is a role model to many young aspiring Emirati culture keepers. She is a fountain of knowledge and history; and is an environmental steward to preserve the natural beauty of UAE. We need more leaders like Shaikha Al Muhairi to ensure the rich culture of UAE is accessible to the local community, regional visitors and worldwide.
By Vanessa Middleton
