Qatar National Library to make debut at 25th Doha International Book Fair

Qatar National Library (QNL), a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF), is beginning 2015 with another series of engaging educational activities including its debut appearance at the Doha International Book Fair 2015, to engage members of the community. 

The event builds on a highly successful season of activities and initiatives in 2014, including the launch of Qatar Digital Library with its trove of material in the Arab Islamic Sciences, popular book discussion activities, education and training sessions on how to best use the Library’s online databases, in addition to organising various activities for children, and the library’s successful participation at Qatar Foundation’s National Day celebrations at Darb El-Saai last month. 

By sharing valuable information and cultivating creativity, QNL continues to support Qatar Foundation’s mission to foster a progressive society by increasing human capital and promoting social development through providing access to a wealth of resources through its exceptional selection of online databases, regular training programmes, and social engagement initiatives. 

The QNL team will conduct a series of informative sessions about its exceptional collection of databases and initiatives, which are free to residents of Qatar, including a preview of the recently launched Qatar Digital Library in an effort to raise awareness about the importance of open access to valuable information. 

The team will be at the Doha International Book Fair in order to assist visitors to register for the Library’s unique online resources and follow in the footsteps of the thousands of students, researchers and members of the general public who had the opportunity to access its wide range of material.  

In addition, families are encouraged to participate in the children’s programmes as part of QNL’s activities that will inspire young people with the nation’s heritage and open their eyes to the rich cultural resources available for all from the Library’s vast databases. 

Highlighting the Library’s outstanding contribution to the development of the nation’s educational and research sectors, Dr Claudia Lux, Project Director of QNL, said: “The Doha International Book Fair is a valuable opportunity for Qatar National Library to shed light on the importance of the unmatched resources we offer to both the local and international communities. In support of the nation’s journey towards becoming a knowledge-based economy, QNL continues to make unparalleled research and educational resources available to the people of Qatar.” 

Marking its 25th year, the Doha International Book Fair will be held from 7 – 17 January 2015 at the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC), another member of Qatar Foundation. It will feature thousands of books from more than 30 countries, bringing to light some of the unique aspects of Qatar’s culture and heritage. The Book Fair, which attracts visitors from around the world, will also run alongside the Doha Cultural Festival that includes an art exhibition, traditional plays, a description of the history of books, and other cultural and artistic activities. 

Saadi Al Said, Associate Director for Administration and Planning at QNL, said: “Qatar National Library’s online resources have been received extremely positively by the community in Qatar. We always enjoy strong interest in signing up for QNL’s free resources from people from all walks of life, and we are delighted that thousands are already regularly accessing the material online. The QNL team will be at the Book Fair to provide visitors from the local and international reading communities a clear overview of the modern library facilities on offer at QNL.” 

QNL’s various resources and services will also all be on display at the Library’s dedicated space at QNCC from 9am to 1pm and 4pm to 10pm throughout the duration of the exhibition. 

Qatar National Library is providing access to valuable information and knowledge through its state-of-art website. To learn more the Library’s databases and resources, please visit: www.qnl.qa.