Cliches abound when I recall my earliest memories of visiting my local library. The expression “Aladdin’s Cave” comes to mind, and I groan inwardly at the reference because it is at once both an accurate and overused description for a library.
Yet it did contain treasures. Every book was a nugget of knowledge. The sections represented undiscovered territories waiting to be mined. I learnt about the hippopotamus and the life of Robin Hood actor Errol Flynn.
Taking home a book was like stealing away a whole world. I carried in my bag pieces of the history of the world or snapshots of great political figures and, of course, infinite stories written by brilliant authors and frankly, some mediocre ones, too.
Yet there was no jeopardy if the book you had chosen disappointed; you simply returned it the next day and picked up another. No money needed to change hands unless you fell foul of the dreaded late fees.
These days, only the experience of Netflix comes close to that feeling of going to the library as a child and seeing the breadth and depth of the content available to choose. But you have to pay to use Netflix, of course. Also, Netflix could never replicate the librarian, no matter how powerful its algorithm.
The duality of that role seemed to me to be that they had to be both like a wizard and the police.
The librarian seemed to be able to discern like a water diviner exactly which book would captivate my growing mind
If you needed help, they could guide you around the library’s catalogue with an intimacy of its contents that was greater than I had of my own home. Yet the librarian could also quiet me with a stern look and I did not want to have to face the look of disappointment when they checked my record to see I still had failed to return an overdue book.
Although by peering at me, the librarian seemed to be able to discern like a water diviner exactly which book would captivate my growing mind, and for that they still mean so much and always will.
So it was alarming to me when Anthony Horowitz and Meg Rosoff, authors of young adult fiction, told The Times earlier this month that there needs to be more investment in school libraries after a UK survey suggested that half of those aged eight to 18 do not enjoy reading in their spare time.
Rosoff, who wrote How I Live Now, said: “The demise of libraries … means that there are no longer professional people who match kids with books. So you give kids the wrong books and they say they hate reading, when in fact they just didn’t like the book you gave them,” she said.
Horowitz, whose work includes the Alex Rider series, said of the UK: “Literacy will be in danger if we do not support libraries in schools. It is still shocking that libraries and librarians are not in every single school in the country. Unless we feed the love of literature at school, then there is a chance that children will grow up without a love of reading.”
I am grateful then that in the UAE, the trend seems to be the reverse of that in the UK. For example, the good people who run the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library in Dubai are working with publishers, institutions and authors to ensure that school libraries have a wide range of books for children in both English and Arabic.
Equally, the eternal value of reading is evident at a new exhibition in Louvre Abu Dhabi. Some of the oldest and rarest texts of the three monotheistic religions are on display.
“It’s an exhibition about books. It’s really a way of going to the origin of the book,” said its co-curator Laurent Hericher, head of the Oriental manuscripts department at the Bibliotheque nationale de France.
As an adult and as an author myself, the librarian and their domain remain an invaluable support.
When searching for titles to compare my novel Muchafraid to, I struggled. My story is set in 13th-century Baghdad and includes the House of Wisdom, poetry and fantasy elements. There seemed at once to be too many books to choose from and none that really felt like a proper match to accurately identify a potential market and audience for Muchafraid.
Such things are important to know if you want to find a literary agent or publisher for your book. There was a happy ending to my hunt, thankfully. It was when a librarian with an in-depth knowledge of children’s literature came to my rescue. The librarian generously provided insights when I reached out from the cold seeking their help.
She didn’t know me, but she had the typical integrity of a librarian and was more than happy to help get another book into the world – and perhaps one day into their own library to be put in the hands of another curious child to read and enjoy (or not).
I will always be grateful for that spirit.
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Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
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Martin Sabbagh profile
Job: CEO JCDecaux Middle East
In the role: Since January 2015
Lives: In the UAE
Background: M&A, investment banking
Studied: Corporate finance
The drill
Recharge as needed, says Mat Dryden: “We try to make it a rule that every two to three months, even if it’s for four days, we get away, get some time together, recharge, refresh.” The couple take an hour a day to check into their businesses and that’s it.
Stick to the schedule, says Mike Addo: “We have an entire wall known as ‘The Lab,’ covered with colour-coded Post-it notes dedicated to our joint weekly planner, content board, marketing strategy, trends, ideas and upcoming meetings.”
Be a team, suggests Addo: “When training together, you have to trust in each other’s abilities. Otherwise working out together very quickly becomes one person training the other.”
Pull your weight, says Thuymi Do: “To do what we do, there definitely can be no lazy member of the team.”
Going grey? A stylist's advice
If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
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GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
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UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – UAE won by 36 runs
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
if you go
The flights Fly Dubai, Air Arabia, Emirates, Etihad, and Royal Jordanian all offer direct, three-and-a-half-hour flights from the UAE to the Jordanian capital Amman. Alternatively, from June Fly Dubai will offer a new direct service from Dubai to Aqaba in the south of the country. See the airlines’ respective sites for varying prices or search on reliable price-comparison site Skyscanner.
The trip
Jamie Lafferty was a guest of the Jordan Tourist Board. For more information on adventure tourism in Jordan see Visit Jordan. A number of new and established tour companies offer the chance to go caving, rock-climbing, canyoning, and mountaineering in Jordan. Prices vary depending on how many activities you want to do and how many days you plan to stay in the country. Among the leaders are Terhaal, who offer a two-day canyoning trip from Dh845 per person. If you really want to push your limits, contact the Stronger Team. For a more trek-focused trip, KE Adventure offers an eight-day trip from Dh5,300 per person.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Profile of VoucherSkout
Date of launch: November 2016
Founder: David Tobias
Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers
Sector: Technology
Size: 18 employees
Stage: Embarking on a Series A round to raise $5 million in the first quarter of 2019 with a 20 per cent stake
Investors: Seed round was self-funded with “millions of dollars”
Teachers' pay - what you need to know
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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Price, base / as tested: Dh74,900 / Dh85,900
Engine: 937cc
Transmission: Six-speed gearbox
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PFA Premier League team of 2018-19
Allison (Liverpool)
Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)
Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Aymeric Laporte (Manchester City)
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Paul Pogba (Manchester United)
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Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
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Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
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The five pillars of Islam
Super 30
Produced: Sajid Nadiadwala and Phantom Productions
Directed: Vikas Bahl
Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Pankaj Tripathi, Aditya Srivastav, Mrinal Thakur
Rating: 3.5 /5
