جهود مؤسسات المعلومات في سلطنة عمان في إتاحة المعلومات للجميع بما يخدم تحقيق أهداف التنمية المستدامة 2030

Abstract EN

Aim: This study aims to identify the Omani information-institutions efforts to enable information accessibility and, by doing so, how they are contributing to achieving Oman Sustainable Development Goals 2030.

Methodology: The researchers employed the qualitative approach using varied tools such as an activities form and semi-structured interviews with the informationinstitutions management (n=11).

Results: It was found that there are four methods for making information accessible to all, apart from the usual methods, 1) making certain types of information accessible in multiple languages, 2) making information accessible to persons with special needs, 3) making information accessible through training and teaching and 4) making information available by offering 100% accessibility to information.

The study also revealed that all the institutions examined use varied methods to make information accessible to all except for Manah Cultural Centre which mainly provides information accessibility through its library.

The results also showed that full access to information is the most common access method (27 forms) followed by providing information access to persons with special needs only (12 forms), then providing access through training and teaching (5 forms) and finally accessibility to heritage-related information in multiple languages (4 forms).

Recommendations: promoting the culture of information awareness, developing information literacy skills and efficiency, and introducing effective cooperation practices between information institutions and the organizations supporting persons with special needs to improve the information access of this group.

The study suggests benefiting from the experiences of other countries in this aspect.

Conclusion: It is hoped that the study would help to fill a gap in this area and shed light to information-institutions management to contribute better towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 of Oman.