Over 1.5 million books will be on display at the 36th Sharjah International Book Fair, SIBF, which begins tomorrow at the Sharjah Expo Centre.

Running until 11th November, this edition of the third largest book fair in the world will welcome guests from 48 countries taking part in more than 2,600 events.

Held under the theme, ‘A World in My Book’, the SIBF 2017 reflects the infinite possibilities of the written word in all genres from works of fiction, science, poetry and philosophy to history, technology, biographies and cultural knowledge.

A dedicated programme to shine a spotlight on the outstanding achievements of English literature and strengthening cultural ties between the UAE and the UK will be a mainstay of the fair. Elite authors and prominent literary figures from the UK mark the nation’s role as the 2017 Guest of Honour.

A highlight of the fair will be the book signing opportunities for fans, bookworms and culture enthusiasts who will deepen their love of reading even further through the ‘Book Signing Corner’, which will host over 200 events by renowned local, regional and international authors.

A dedicated zone for publishers and distributors of e-books and audio books will also form part of the fair. The ‘Future Zone’ has been initiated in response to the huge number of online book sales with an aim to meeting the demands of the digital era.

Hall 1 at SIBF will be dedicated for online and audio books for publishers such as ‘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.

SIBF 2017 is set to amaze young visitors and challenge their creative imaginations with a rich programme of live performances, entertainment acts, acrobatic shows, cultural events and a series of workshops in art, literature and writing. The Kids Programme this year will be delivered by more than 44 artists and performers hailing from 22 countries around the globe.

Experts from major technology companies operating in the fields of e-commerce, information security and social networking will be participating at the Social Media Station.