To meet the directives of the State in promoting Year of Reading 2016, 

On Wednesday 26^th of October 2016, the University Libraries Deanship organized, in cooperation with the UAEU Special Ability Club, a “We read with them” activity, in the presence of his Excellency Dr. Mohamed Albaili, Vice Chancellor of the University. This was with the participation of Al Shaheen School, the Shamma Bint Muhammad Government School in Al Ain City, the Libraries and university students.

Dr. Mohamed Albaili explained: “The University’s participation in the reading activities of the Year of Reading 2016 is a positive contribution in community service. It reflects the State’s commitment to the vision of his Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan for the Year of Reading 2016, and it will empower people with special needs to become active members in UAE society. This will be achieved through strengthening their reading skills and enabling them to demonstrate their creativity, guaranteeing their effective participation in society. This is a humanitarian message in which UAEU is proud to offer its various services, and it will be partners with the Government in achieving these goals for people with special needs."

The event included reading through the use of Braille and also sign language. It also introduced a collection of stories and novels that told about the heritage of UAE, and the nation’s journey over the last 45 years, through an "audio book" especially for people with visual disabilities.

Lastly, a set of contests was arranged to encourage reading by Braille and learning spelling by characters, using the most modern learning methods. This included "U2" computers for people with special needs, which allowed them to communicate through social media platforms, such as "Twitter", "Facebook "and "YouTube".