Fulbright Grant to Kuwait 2016

Introduction

 

I was granted the prestigious Fulbright scholarship to conduct research and teach at the American University of Kuwait. 

I visited the AUK to study their library catalogs to determine if and how Resource Description and Access (RDA), the new cataloging standard, can benefit the library catalog by establishing links between Arabic and non-Arabic records.   In conjunction with this research, I offered a series of RDA workshops and presentation on the implementation of RDA in Kuwait and other related topics.

The Flex Grant covers a period of three years, and allows for three visits of up to two months at the host institution.  My first visit to the AUK took place in the fall of 2016, with follow-up visits planned for 2017 and 2018.

I arrived in Kuwait in November, 2016.  The first few days were spent on getting introduced to the library director and the staff, and discussing plans that would help me achieve my goal and benefit the library.  It was agreed that I would conduct workshops, and work with library staff to learn the structure of their catalog. Learning about the AUK online catalog would allow me to gather information about the commonalities and differences between their catalog and the Ohio State University Library catalog. 

As I studied the AUK catalog, I discovered that the catalog generates subject terms based on the contents of the catalog record.  If the term generated does not already exists in the AUK catalog thesaurus, it is added to the database.  As this thesaurus continues to grow, it could form the foundation of an international thesaurus of Arabic subject terms.  This is the core of my research and will be explored in my second segment of my visit.

About the AUK and the Kuwait Culture

Although I achieved a lot of things during my time at the American University in Kuwait, I did have the opportunity to explore the city and the country.  This was made possible in large part through the generosity of my hosts who extended me every courtesy and went out of their way to make me feel welcome and at home.  The library director, was a most gracious host, making sure that all my needs were met, including access to the internet.  She accompanied me on shopping trips for the equipment I needed and devoted much time after work to take me on tours of the city and showing me the sites of Kuwait.  We spent time over lunch or dinner discussing aspects of life in Kuwait and the United States and shared ideas about the future of libraries. 

This spirit of generosity was shared by other members of the library staff who made me feel as part of their team.  They were eager to share ideas and exchange views on how to improve access to library materials.  They often accompanied me to lunch, showed me their favorite sites and helped me to feel comfortable in a new environment.  In one instance I was invited to spend a day in the desert on a family camping trip.  This was one of the most exciting days I spent in Kuwait, as I had a rare opportunity to spend a day in the desert.  I wish to express my deepest gratitude to all the members of the AUK for making my stay in Kuwait very pleasant and exciting.

The staff of the American Embassy in Kuwait were extremely supportive and welcoming as well.  I was invited to participate in social and cultural events at the Embassy on a number of occasions.  I had the pleasure of meeting the ambassador and his lovely wife who showed great interest in my work in Kuwait.  I also had the opportunity to participate in the Kuwait International Book Fair, where I had the honor of representing the United States at the US Embassy book display. 

I found Kuwait to be a very exciting place that left a lasting, positive impression on me.  It is a cosmopolitan place with more than half of the population coming from other countries.  This cultural diversity makes Kuwait a meeting place of Eastern and Western cultures.  As I walked along the shore of the Arabian Gulf, I could see examples of modern architecture that could be the pride of any city.  The city is very dynamic and social life continues well into the night as people go out to shop, eat and socialize.  Weekends, in particular, are a time for social activity in and around the city. The people of Kuwait are very hospitable and generous.  They are very proud of their country and are eager to share the beauty of Kuwait.  This has been a very positive experience for me and I look forward to returning there soon.

See my Social Events as a Fulbright in Kuwait in Pictures: