Qatar National Library | |
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مكتبة قطر الوطنية | |
25°19′06″N51°26′29″E / 25.3182597°N 51.4412944°E y | |
Location | Ar Rayyan, Qatar |
Established | November 19, 2012 |
Architect(s) | Rem Koolhaas |
Access and use | |
Circulation | a |
Other information | |
Parent organization | Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development |
Public transit access | Qatar National Library station (Doha Metro) |
Website | qnl.qa |
Qatar National Library (QNL) is a non-profit organization under the umbrella of the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development. [1] The plans for the new national library were announced by Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation, on 19 November 2012, during a ceremony celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Dar Al Kutub Al Qatariyya, in Doha, Qatar, one of the first public libraries in the Persian Gulf region (founded on 29 December 1962), which had until then been regarded as the national library of Qatar. [2] [3]
QNL aims to serve a three-fold function: as a national library, a research-level university library, and a central metropolitan public library equipped for the digital age. [1] [2] In its capacity as a national library as defined by UNESCO, it collects and provides access to global knowledge, including heritage content and materials relevant to Qatar and the region; as a university and research library, it supports education and research at all levels; and as a modern central public library, it provides library services and resources to meet the reading interests and foster the information literacy of the general public. In addition, with the opening of the new building, it also serves as a community meeting place. [1] [2] The building was designed by Rem Koolhaas of OMA and opened in April 2018 alongside events, seminars and exhibitions. [4] [5]
Claudia Lux, a German scholar and library professional, was appointed by the Qatar Foundation to be the director of the library project in April 2012, and initially oversaw the launch of QNL as a digital library. [6] [7] Meanwhile, construction began on a new building for the library in Education City, a district in Doha that was developed by Qatar Foundation as a center of higher education, and now includes branch campuses of six American universities, as well as other educational and research institutions. [8] [9]
In October 2016, Dr. Sohair Wastawy was appointed as Executive Director of QNL, to which she brought 30 years of library managerial experience. [10]
In 2020, the QNL joined the Global Sustainability Coalition for Open Sciences Services (SCOSS). [11] During the COVID-19 pandemic the QNL was closed to the public, but reopened in July 2020. [12] [13] In 2022, 296,456 books were checked out in the library, which was 113,313 more than in 2021. [14] An app allowing visitors to access various resources of the library was introduced in 2023. [15] [16]
Any Qatari citizen or resident permit holder is eligible for free library registration. [17] QNL's website offers registered library users free online access to a diverse collection of online resources, including international scholarly databases and top academic journals, as well as popular literature, magazines, children's resources, and music. [1] [18]
The library offers a wide variety of books and e-books, in English, Arabic, and other languages, including fiction and non-fiction, bestsellers and classics, as well as magazines and journals, DVDs, CDs, and audiobooks. [19] [20] In 2018, the library's collection consisted of more than 800,000 books on its shelves and more than 500,000 eBooks, periodicals and newspapers, and special collections. [1] In keeping with QNL's mission to help prepare Qatar residents for participation in the global knowledge economy, a broad range of educational and instructional programs and services have been planned that focus on information literacy, early literacy, research skills, and using digital resources. [21] [22] Library educational programming includes book clubs, language-learning classes, musical events, and craft workshops, as well as events for children and their families, such as storytelling, crafts, and science exhibits. [23]
In addition to the general-interest holdings (Main Collection) and academic online resources, the QNL houses the collections of the Heritage Library, which includes rare books, manuscripts, and other materials related to Arab-Islamic civilization. [24] Previously known as the Arab and Islamic Heritage Library, this collection was begun by His Excellency Sheikh Hassan bin Mohamed bin Ali Al Thani in 1979, [2] [25] and was integrated into QNL in 2012. [24]
The Heritage Library provides an extensive range of historical sources about Qatar and the region, including writings by travelers and explorers who visited the Persian Gulf region over the centuries, Arabic manuscripts, historical maps and globes, as well as scientific instruments and early photographs. [24] It also features approximately 2,400 precious manuscripts, among them ‘Mushafs’ (Holy Qur'an) and Arabic literature, with a primary focus on sciences such as geography, astronomy, and mathematics. The collection also includes printed materials from when printing was first introduced in 15th century Europe, including Latin translations dating from 15th to 17th centuries of works such as the famous Canon of Medicine of Avicenna (Ibn Sina). [25]
The maps and manuscripts of the Heritage Collection have been digitized and are accessible to registered users through the library's online catalog. [2] Portions of the collection of particular international significance have also been made freely available to users worldwide through the World Digital Library (WDL), which the QNL financially supports. [26] [7]
In August 2015, QNL was appointed as the Preservation and Conservation Centre (PAC) of the MENA region by the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. There were 13 other global PACs at the time of its appointment. [27] [28]
Qatar Digital Library (QDL) is the culmination of a partnership between Qatar Foundation, Qatar National Library, and the British Library in 2012. [29] [30] The partnership seeks to digitize a rich trove of heritage material documenting Arab and Islamic history and to make it freely accessible to the public through QDL, which was launched online in October 2014. [31] [32] The digital library, with an English and Arabic bilingual interface, encompasses 1.5 million pages of items held by the British Library pertaining to the history of the Persian Gulf region. These include documents dating from the mid-18th century to the 1950s from the India Office Records and Private Papers (including the archives of the East India Company and its successor institutions); and 25,000 pages are of medieval Arabic scientific manuscripts. [33] [34] Phase 3 of the project aims at the digitization of another 900,000 pages and will initiate in January 2019. [35]
QNL's new building, designed by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas, was completed and opened to the public in a soft opening in November 2017. [36] [37] The state-of-the-art library facilities include a variety of collaborative and individual learning spaces, a children's library, a teen and young adult collection, computer labs, digital media production facilities, performance spaces, a restaurant and a café, an assistive technology area, and a writing center. [38]
On 16 April 2018, the QNL held its official inauguration ceremony. It comprised a grand ceremony in which His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani placed the one-millionth book on the shelves of QNL. [39] The library's one million books collection includes 137,000 children books and 35,000 books for teenagers. [40]
The library issued a competition in which members of Qatar Foundation could name the upcoming cafe. Three separate winners picked the winning name "Safahat," which means pages in Arabic. [41] The cafe opened and began serving the public in late September 2018. Membership of the library is free for anyone holding a Qatar ID. [42]
The library features various exhibitions that take place in various spots around the building. [43]
The Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra performs monthly for the public for free. More than 80 other free events are held at the library every month, including a knitting group activity, where women come every Thursday and sit for four hours. [40]
In April 2018, the QNL opened the 'Arab and German Tales – Transcending Cultures' exhibition, which was part of the Qatar Germany Year of Culture. [44] [45] The QNL hosted various events related to the Qatar – Indonesia Year of Culture 2023 including a writing challenge called 'November Novel', in which writers were encouraged to write 50,000 words within the month. [46] [47]
In January 2024, the QNL hosted the Inaugural "Teaching and Learning Qatari History" Forum. [48] [49] The QNL also hosted a number of events in February 2024 in connection with the Qatari National Sports Day. [50] [51]
The history of Qatar spans from its first duration of human occupation to its formation as a modern state. Human occupation of Qatar dates back to 50,000 years ago, and Stone Age encampments and tools have been unearthed in the Arabian Peninsula. Mesopotamia was the first civilization to have a presence in the area during the Neolithic period, evidenced by the discovery of potsherds originating from the Ubaid period near coastal encampments.
Foreign relations of Qatar is conducted through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Arab states were among the first to recognize Qatar, and the country gained admittance to the United Nations and the Arab League after achieving independence in 1971. The country was an early member of OPEC and a founding member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Diplomatic missions to Qatar are based in its capital, Doha.
Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development is a state-led non-profit organization in Qatar, founded in 1995 by then-emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and his second wife Moza bint Nasser Al-Missned.
The Museum of Islamic Art is a museum on one end of the seven-kilometer-long (4.3 mi) Corniche in Doha, Qatar. As per the architect I. M. Pei's specifications, the museum is built on an island off an artificial projecting peninsula near the traditional dhow harbor. A purpose-built park surrounds the edifice on the eastern and southern facades while two bridges connect the southern front facade of the property with the main peninsula that holds the park. The western and northern facades are marked by the harbor showcasing the Qatari seafaring past. In September 2017, Qatar Museums appointed Julia Gonnella as director of MIA. In 2024 Julia Gonnella became director of the Lusail Museum and was replaced by Shaika Nasser Al-Nassr. In November 2022 the MIA became the first carbon-neutral certified museum in the Middle East Region. The museum participated in the Expo 2023 Doha from October 2023 until March 2024, with workshops and events focusing on biodiversity and sustainability.
Katara Cultural Village, also known simply as Katara, is a cultural and commercial complex in Doha, Qatar, located on the eastern coast between West Bay and the Pearl.
Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art is a museum in Doha, Qatar with over 9,000 objects. Established in 2010, it is considered a major cultural attraction in the country.
Qatar Museums is a Qatari government entity that oversees the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA), Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, MIA Park, QM Gallery at the Katara Cultural Village, ALRIWAQ DOHA Exhibition Space, the Al Zubarah World Heritage Site Visitor Centre, and archaeological projects throughout Qatar, as well as the development of future projects and museums that will highlight its collections across multiple areas of activity including Orientalist art, photography, sports, children's education, and wildlife conservation.
The Qatari-Bahraini War, also known as the Qatari War of Independence, was an armed conflict that took place in 1867 and 1868 in the Persian Gulf. The conflict pitted Bahrain and Abu Dhabi against Qatar. The conflict was the most flagrant violation of the 1835 maritime truce, requiring British intervention. The two emirates agreed to a truce, mediated by the United Kingdom, which led to Britain recognizing the Al-Thani family of Qatar as the semi-independent ruler of Qatar. The conflict resulted in wide-scale destruction in both emirates.
The Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra (QPO), a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, was founded in 2007 by Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned, the then Emir of Qatar's consort. The orchestra performs both Western and Middle Eastern works, encouraging the enjoyment and creation of such music by the people of Qatar and the region.
The mass media in Qatar relays information and data in Qatar by means of television, radio, cinema, newspapers, magazines and the internet. Qatar has established itself as a leading regional figure in mass media over the past decade. Al Jazeera, a global news network which was established in 1996, has become the foundation of the media sector. The country uses media to brand itself and raise its international profile.
The National Museum of Qatar is a national museum in Doha, Qatar. The current building opened to the public on 28 March 2019, replacing the previous building which opened in 1975. The building was designed by architect Jean Nouvel who was inspired by the desert rose crystal, which can be found in Qatar. The museum site includes Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani's Palace, which is the heart of the Qatari national identity. From 2013 to 2023, the director of the museum was Sheikha Amna. In February 2024, Sheikh Abdulaziz H. Al Thani became director of the Museum.
The modern Qatari art movement emerged in the mid-20th century, as a result of the new-found wealth acquired from oil exports and the subsequent modernization of Qatari society. Because of Islam's non-inclusive stance of depictions of sentient beings in visual arts, traditional figurative art historically played an insignificant role in the country's culture. Other visual art forms such as calligraphy, architecture, and textiles were more highly regarded in Qatari tradition.
Qatar Digital Library (QDL) is a bilingual online library which was launched as a joint venture by a partnership consisting of Qatar Foundation, Qatar National Library and the British Library in October 2014. QDL comprises one of the largest online collections of historic records on the Persian Gulf countries.
Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani Museum is a privately owned museum located in the municipality of Al-Shahaniya in Qatar. Encompassing an area of 530,000 m2, the three-building museum was opened in 1998 by Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani.
Ahmed Albahrani, is an Iraqi painter and sculptor. He is one of the most famous Iraqi artists now living between Sweden and Qatar, known for his public large-scale artworks.
Qatari literature traces its origins back to the 19th century. Originally, written poetry was the most common form of expression, but poetry later fell out of favor after Qatar began reaping the profits from oil exports in the mid-20th century and many Qataris abandoned their Bedouin traditions in favor of more urban lifestyles.
Hamad Bin Khalifa University Press is a publishing house based in Doha, Qatar. The press was initially managed by Bloomsbury Publishing PLC and was founded as Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation Publishing (BQFP) in 2008 until its transition into HBKU Press in 2015. HBKU Press is part of Hamad Bin Khalifa University which is under the wider community of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development. It publishes titles that serve both an international audience as well as the larger Arab community publishing fiction, non-fiction, young adult and children's literature, and academic titles. They highlight local Middle Eastern and Qatari narratives and also translate books from other foreign languages into Arabic.
Cinema in Qatar is a relatively young industry that evolved as part of the country’s plans to develop different local sectors with the aim of accumulating international recognition and status. Many major steps were taken to implement a long-term plan to develop the infrastructure as well as giving opportunities to local talents to have a platform that establishes their presence within the film industry with the support of the Doha Film Institute, and their various grants, workshops and festivals. The Qatar National Vision 2030 has three major pillars to development: human, social economic and environmental; this vision provides frameworks that enable the development of different elements within Qatar and its society; one of which is the high importance put on developing and cultivating artistic talents to represent and define Qatar on a global scale. Another important element in developing the movie industry is the influence and vision of Sheikha Al Mayassa who founded Doha Film Institution; the establishment of film as a mode of storytelling was imperative because it serves the purpose of granting Qatar a global presence through the talents that are supported and cultivated because of her initiative. The film industry plays a role in amplifying the Qatari national identity alongside the identity of the Arab world as a whole.
The Qatar Armed Forces Band Regiment is a musical unit from the State of Qatar usually performing at military functions or events.
Social and Economic Survey Research Institute (SESRI) is a survey institute and social science research contributor that is part of Qatar University.