Qatari Librarians Gain International Expertise at Global Congress

Qatari librarians shared their expertise and experiences at Qatar National Library with their international peers at the recent 84^th World Library and Information Congress in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Representing Qatar, these librarians from a wide range of disciplines discussed skills, best practices and opportunities in a series of workshops and meetings with their counterparts from more than 110 countries. They also highlighted the Library’s successes, as the newest national library in the 21^st Century, since its public opening in November last year, including user services experiences, events and exhibitions.

Abeer Al Kuwari, Director of Research and Learning Services, said: “All of us at the Library are constantly trying to develop professionally and learn new ideas and skills so that we can pass that knowledge on to our visitors as well as our colleagues. This was the third time I attended the conference. Being a corresponding member in the MetLib section of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), it was an excellent opportunity to get a wide variety of perspectives on libraries and librarianship, and I’m very excited to put what I’ve learned into practice.” 

Information Services Librarian Eiman Al Shamari presented a poster about gastronomy books in the Middle East, highlighting an important but often overlooked topic and laying the groundwork for future professional partnerships. “I was able to meet librarians from around the world, and we discussed potential ways to collaborate and share expertise,” Al Shamari said. “Collaboration is key to my long-term development as a librarian, so these opportunities to network and exchange ideas are important personally and professionally.”

The congress was held on the theme “Transform Libraries, Transform Societies,” a particularly appropriate context coming in the Library’s first year open to Qatar community. Amani Al Yafei, Head of Science at the Library, embraced that theme: “Science has a huge impact on society in countless ways, from sustainability to the economy to healthcare, and at the Library, we have developed numerous programs to encourage science education in Qatar. I was able to talk with science librarians from around the world, and our future programming at the Library will reflect the new ideas they shared.”

Commenting on his experience at the congress, Ahmed Al Malki, Senior Information Services Librarian, said: “Through networking and exchanging ideas, I was not only able to grow as a librarian, but I was also able to help my colleagues and contribute to the profession by sharing my own experiences in Qatar. Any time you can both teach and learn, it’s a valuable opportunity.”

Jooza Rashid Al Marri, Collections Development Manager, and Information Services Librarians Fatima Hassan Al Sahli, Haya Abdulla Al-Sheeb and Rana Abdulrahman were also among the Qatar National Library representatives who participated in the congress. To learn more about the Library, visit www.qnl.qa.