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List of book shops and stores in Dubai and UAE
List of bookstores, bookshops, second hand book shops, libraries, book clubs in Dubai - House of Prose, Kinokuniya Bookworld, Magrudys, Borders, Booksplus (Books Plus)
New books
- Kinokuniya Bookworld in The Dubai Mall (top floor, near the electronic stores) seems to be the biggest bookshop in Dubai (or the UAE for that matter). With separate sections for some foreign language titles - Arab, Chinese, French, German, Japanese if we remember correctly.
- Booksplus - large chain of bookshops around Dubai, with one in many of the smaller shopping malls and shopping centers.
- Borders - a newer book store chain in the UAE with stores in some shopping malls. Also Borders Express (smaller bookshops). Generally a good selection of books, stationery, art supplies.
- Magrudy's (or Magrudys) - a decent Dubai based chain of stores. The original Magrudy's in Jumeirah was a favorite English speaking expat bookshop. Other stores have sprung up in Dubai Festival City (a large shop), Ibn Battuta Mall.
Second hand books in Dubai
- Book n Bean - similar to House of Prose (and an offshoot of the HoP conglomerate?). Located in ACE Hardware, Dubai Festival City. Open 0900-2200 Saturday to Wednesday, 0900-2400 Thursday to Friday. Tel +971-4-2326992.
- Book World (not the same as, or related to the Kinokuniya Bookworld in The Dubai Mall) - second hand bookstore operating on the same principle as House of Prose (return books for half the price you paid ... in Book World, not other shops). Located in Satwa on Al Hudaiba St. Telephone +971-4-3491914.
- House of Prose is the most well-known second hand book shop in Dubai, with the original store in Jumeirah Plaza shopping mall along Jumeirah Beach Road. They buy books back from you for half price when you've finished reading them (books that you bought from them that is). They buy other books for varying prices depending on supply and demand - don't expect to make a fortune out of your second hand Dan Brown book collection. Open 0900-2100 daily, telephone +971-4-3449021 (Jumeirah). Second shop in Ibn Battuta Mall closed? Update - another shop in the Dubai Garden Centre on Sheikh Zayed Road (near the Gold and Diamond Park), telephone +971-4-3400006.
Libraries in Dubai
- Public Libraries - Visit in person with passport (and copy) to sign up for a membership - you'll need a residence visa, not a visit visa. There are English books available (both fiction and non-fiction), perhaps not the most up to date collection, but you should be able to find something to read.
- Read and Enjoy - located in the Rimal 3 area, Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR), Dubai Marina. Telephone +971-4-4487046. Website www.readnenjoy.com.
- The Old Library, DUCTAC - located at Mall of the Emirates (upstairs, but not well signposted - ask at the information center or one of the security guards). Website www.theoldlibrary.ae.
Book clubs in Dubai and other reading related information
- Bibliophiles book club - read a book and then meet in a Dubai cafe to talk about it. But probably not lightweight tomes such as Green Eggs and Ham by Dr Suess. Website at www.meetup.com/Bibliophiles-Dubai-Book-Club.
- Festival of Literature - annual book stuff exhibition with people talking about books, writing workshops, and so on. Usually held in March. Website www.emirateslitfest.com.
- House of Literature, or Dar Al Adaab and Festival Book Club - located in Bastakiya. A kind promotional organisation for book and writing related events - poetry readings, book launches, that sort of thing.
Last update Tuesday 06-Mar-2012
Related pages
- Books about Dubai - list of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, UAE reading, both fiction and nonfiction
- French bookshops in Dubai
- Shopping Dubai - list of shopping malls in Dubai
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