Audiobooks, Kids' Publishing Take Centre Stage At Sharjah International Book Fair 2026

Artificial intelligence, audiobooks, translation rights and children's publishing will take centre stage at the 45th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF), as the emirate brings publishers and industry experts together to explore how the rapidly changing literary landscape is reshaping the business of books.

The fair will host 2,673 publishing houses, while its 16th Publishers Conference will bring together participation of over 200 publishers for discussions on the challenges and opportunities facing the global publishing industry.

Khoula Al Mujaini, general coordinator of SIBF, said the programme would address developments across several segments of publishing, including the growing role of technology and the need to help publishers adapt to changing market demands.

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“The conference this year discusses a number of issues, among which is AI, audiobooks, the circulation of publishing rights, publishing of children books, and the development of the presence of comic books in the publishing sector,” she said.

The conference will also feature new events and agreements, alongside opportunities for publishers to explore international partnerships and translation projects.

Al Mujaini said the edition would provide an opportunity to register for the Sharjah translation grant, which supports translation between Arabic and other languages.

With artificial intelligenc increasingly becoming part of the publishing conversation, the conference will focus on helping industry professionals understand and use emerging tools.

Rather than treating AI as a standalone topic, organisers are incorporating it into wider discussions and programmes designed to equip publishers with the knowledge to respond to technological change.

“To adapt and to work with the current tools that is available, so that's why during the publisher conference or any publishing program that we are providing or introducing to the publishers, the AI conversation is always there,” Al Mujaini said.

“So, our goal is to assess the publishers and help them to adapt and to teach them how to use.”

The accompanying programme will begin with a training course for publishers on October 31, organised in collaboration with New York University (NYU) in the United States.

“The course is expected to attract more than 200 publishers,” added Mansour Al Hassani, director of Publishing Services at SBA. The programme will cover,“developments in the global audiobook market, marketing through video and social media platforms, international markets for translation rights, and the exchange of content and cultural assets between markets.”

The 16th Publishers Conference will run from November 1 to 3, with participation from publishers and specialists representing 124 countries. Nine countries will participate in the conference for the first time, reflecting its international reach.

The programme will focus on publishing in a rapidly changing world, with more than 30 workshops and sessions planned.

Beyond publishers, the wider programme will also bring together library professionals to examine how reading habits, technology and community engagement are influencing the future of libraries.

Al Hassani said the library programme would involve 400 librarians and professionals working in public, private and school libraries.

“It is going to have 400 of librarians and working in public, private, and school libraries,” he said.

Discussions will cover guided and independent reading through the Destiny Discover platform, public policies and partnerships, and the role of social leadership in building stronger communities.

Meanwhile, Al Mujaini added that the programme will also explore“how student leadership can contribute to the development of school libraries”, placing young readers at the centre of efforts to encourage reading and strengthen library engagement.

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