What does it take to get the right book into the right reader’s hands?
That’s the question at the heart of the fifth Sharjah Booksellers Conference, which opened at Expo Centre Sharjah on Saturday. The two-day event is being hosted by the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) will bring together 912 booksellers, publishers, distributors and e-commerce representatives from 99 countries.
Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of SBA, opened the conference with a message that resonated throughout the packed hall: even in an age of rapidly evolving technology, booksellers remain irreplaceable.
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“In an era when technology is transforming how content is created, discovered and trusted, what makes a bookseller indispensable?” she asked. “I believe the answer lies in the promise at the heart of our industry: to help the right book find the right reader — to guide people towards books that can inform them, challenge them, surprise them, or simply expand the way they see the world.”
She emphasised that Sharjah remains committed to connecting books with readers across cultures and regions, and to investing in the people who make that happen. “Investing in people and building their capabilities is not optional,” she said. “It is part of how we prepare this industry for the future.”
Celebrating women in publishing
The opening ceremony also marked a milestone for PublisHer, the global platform Sheikha Bodour founded to support women in publishing. The first cohort of the PublisHer Pathways programme, designed to help women in early and mid-career stages step into leadership roles, received their completion certificates.
The conference focuses on the practical realities of selling books in the digital era. Sessions throughout the day tackled everything from inventory management and in-store displays to e-commerce, digital marketing and understanding what readers actually want.
Jaime Daez, founder of the Philippines’ Fully Booked, shared how his company grew from selling specialty architecture titles to becoming a multi-category bookstore chain. His story offered lessons in understanding local readers, adapting to market shifts and responding to the rise of online shopping.
Oleksii Erinchak, founder of Sens Bookstore in Ukraine reflected on how he opened his first shop in Kyiv just two months before the full-scale escalation of the war. What started as a bookstore evolved into a community gathering space and cultural hub, even as sirens sounded and power shortages disrupted daily life. His decision to open a larger store on Kyiv’s main street was about making books, reading and Ukrainian culture more visible than ever.
AI and the future of bookselling
On the tech side, Lisa Byrnes of Charisma Digital (New Zealand) and Sarah Arbuthnot of Supadu (UK) showed how artificial intelligence can help bookstores build smarter websites and reach more readers online. Arbuthnot noted that AI can handle much of the administrative work, freeing booksellers to focus on what they do best: recommending books, understanding their customers and building relationships.
The PublisHer Lounge hosted panel discussions with graduates of the Pathways programme, as well as a session on building demand for physical books in a digital world. Women in publishing could also take part in workshops, professional photography sessions and one-on-one “Meet a Mentor” meetings with industry leaders.
The conference will continue on Sunday at Expo Centre Sharjah with more programming focused on the challenges and opportunities shaping bookselling and distribution across Arab and international markets.
Source: Khaleej Times