SHARJAH, 7th August, 2026 (WAM) -- Over four days, 928 children and youth across Sharjah Public Libraries' (SPL) six branches each turned their own idea into one original story, developing characters, plots and cover designs as part of SPL’s Summer Camp, held under the theme ‘Beyond the Book’.
Held from 3rd to 6th August across SPL’s six branches in Sharjah, Al Dhaid, Kalba, Khorfakkan, Wadi Al Helo, and Dibba Al Hisn, the camp provided youngsters an interactive journey through the process of turning a first idea into a finished story.
The camp welcomed children and youth aged 6 to 18 through programmes tailored to the age groups hosted at each branch. Sharjah, Kalba, and Wadi Al Helo branches welcomed children aged 6–13, while Al Dhaid, Khorfakkan, and Dibba Al Hisn branches hosted teenagers and young adults aged 14–18.
Eman Bushlaibi, Director of Sharjah Public Libraries, said, “The camp’s outcomes reflect our ability to identify the interests of children and youth and equip them with the tools to express themselves and turn their ideas into tangible work. These programmes allow us to engage more closely with younger generations and better understand how they interact with knowledge. We use these insights to shape future library content, services, and learning pathways suited to participants’ ages and long-term skills development.”
She added, “The projects presented by the children and youth show the value of investing in imagination, reading, and writing from an early age. Such experiences help nurture a generation that is confident in its ideas and able to develop and present them in collaboration with others. Through this approach, Sharjah Public Libraries continues to develop knowledge-based programmes that give beneficiaries an active role in shaping content and the cultural experience.”
At the close of the camp, participants shared their experience of turning ideas into written and illustrated stories, highlighting what they learned about developing characters and plots, and working alongside their peers. Several of them expressed interest in joining similar SPL programmes in the future.
SPL will expand this creative journey through its 2026 Winter Camp, taking place from December 7 to 10, to explore the transformation of texts into artistic, theatrical, and visual productions, encouraging children and youth to develop new projects inspired by books.