Qatar National Library (QNL) is now an official member of the Digital Library Federation (DLF), a global organisation comprising 185 institutions committed to building and improving digital librarianship. The invitation-only membership comes in recognition of QNL’s ongoing commitment to the digital preservation of Arab heritage and culture.

Membership of DLF will enable QNL to work with the world’s top libraries and share best practices, implement innovative library strategies and strengthen the library culture locally.

Dr Sohair Wastawy, Executive Director of QNL, said that as steward of Qatar’s national heritage, QNL promotes research and insight into the region’s culture and history.

By joining the DLF we are supporting researchers to better understand the Arabian Gulf. We also get to work with institutions around the world to strengthen digital libraries.’

DLF Director Bethany Nowviskie said that the DLF community will benefit immensely from intellectual and technical exchange with experts at QNL, and joint projects like the Digital Library of the Middle East (DLME) will provide an opportunity for meaningful collaboration.

The invitation to join the DLF is an acknowledgment of QNL’s commitment to digitizing its extensive collections and making them available worldwide through the Qatar Digital Library (QDL). QDL enables researchers, academics, and users worldwide to access QNL’s collection of historical archives, photographs, sound recordings, and manuscripts relating to the people, politics, and customs of the Arabian Gulf. Anyone with a specific interest in the region can uncover insights into its customs, ancient trade history, and Islamic scholarship through the free worldwide portal.

In addition to curating the QDL, QNL, a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, is also a founding partner of DLME, a collaborative effort that aspires to create a sustainable digital environment for the cultural heritage of the Middle East and North Africa region. With both initiatives, and now through DLF membership, QNL promotes digital stewardship through research data management and preservation services. This will encourage cooperation between digital library practitioners and other sectors.

As part of the Council on Library and Information Resources, DLF supports research, learning, and social justice through the design and application of digital library technologies. QNL will be working with other members of the federation on the development of community-driven frameworks for policy advocacy, professional standards, ethics, issues of representation and diversity, labour, inclusion, and other matters.

A visit from Rem Koolhaas

Rem Kolhaas

Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas, also visited the new QNL landmark building in Education City which he himself designed, earlier this month. Koolhaas’ Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) is responsible for some of the most innovative architectural design projects in the world. He is considered one of the foremost urban thinkers and conceptual artists of our time. Koolhaas’ contribution to Qatar Foundation’s Education City is regarded as a significant reflection of QF’s architectural and sustainability legacy.

For more information about Qatar National Library, visit their website at qnl.qa.