Hawzah News Agency –The Digital Information Center of the Library and Manuscripts House of the al-Abbas's (p) Holy Shrine participated in the activities of the first virtual conference (the Fourth Industrial Revolution and Gulf Information Institutions: Opportunities, Challenges and Practices), which was organized by the Association of Libraries and Specialized Information, the Arabian Gulf Branch.

The participation was through a research presented by the Director of the Digital Laboratory Department of the Center above, Mr. Ahmad Majed Abd al-Zahra, entitled (Using Augmented Reality Technology in Libraries and Information Institutions).

The co-researcher stated to the Al-Kafeel Network, "Our participation was based on the invitation addressed to us by the supervising committee of the conference. Our research focused on the use of one of the technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which is the augmented reality technology in the field of libraries and information and the transformation from traditional libraries to modern smart libraries ".

He added: "Our research discussed the concept of augmented reality, the use and harnessing this technology in the field of libraries, and the establishment of projects for building smart libraries based on the use of this technology, as well as the benefit of using this technology, obstacles and ways to succeed, and the establishment of smart libraries that use this technology through the design of a hall for interactive learning in the library, to provide a work space, as is the current and future direction of the library and information sector, and thus attract researchers to libraries.”

He explained: "We also showed that this technology can be used to organize and arrange the library building and the books on the shelves, as well as the use of (Google maps) for augmented reality technology, as this technology is useful in guiding researchers inside the library, its corridors and halls, and how to invest it in medical libraries and its reflection on the performance of the library in general and the services it provides, such as reading, recreational and educational programs, programs for children, and others.”