Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) has announced a dedicated zone for publishers and distributors of e-books and audio books as part of the 36th edition of Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF), which will take place from 1-11 November at Expo Centre Sharjah. The ‘Future Zone’ has been initiated in response to the huge number of online book sales with an aim to meeting the growing demands of the digital era.

Hall 1 at SIBF will be dedicated for online and audio books, where a group of leading publishing houses specialising in e-books and digital publishing will take part. They include ‘neelwafurat.com’, ‘instaylo.com’, ‘almanhal.com’, ‘Kitab Sawti AB’, ‘Kadi and Ramadi’, ‘Jamalon’, ‘thatsbooks.com’, ‘Canon’ and ‘LexisNexis’. The digital publishers will share their experiences with visitors and help them to explore features such as smart searching and browsing.

HE Ahmed Al Ameri, Chairman of SBA, said: “The Future Zone is designed to meet the needs of readers interested in digital literature, especially school and university students, and those who listen to audio books whether they are at home, working or spending a considerable amount of time travelling.”

Al Ameri said that while SIBF focusses mainly on hard copies, it cannot ignore the growing demand for digital and audio books. “We aim to attract all community members to the world of reading regardless of the tools and formats they use,” he added.

The ‘Future Zone’ provides SIBF visitors with the opportunity to interact with participating companies and exhibitors and experience their products through various online, audio and visual channels. The zone also enables visitors to enjoy an array of promotions and discounts in line with the SIBF commitment to provide everyone with easy access to literature.