New edifice a cultural addition to Arab world

“Over the past decades, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos has accorded great attention to cultural development and knowledge enhancement in line with the comprehensive development which took place in the Sultanate.

“The Sultanate of Oman congratulates the Qatari brothers for this achievement and wishes the friendly people of Qatar further progress and prosperity.”

The Qatar National Library which has a total capacity of 1.2 million books was opened by Qatar Emir and is attended by a number of dignitaries from across the world. The library is a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development.

The objective is to highlight the role of libraries in spreading knowledge and promoting the history and heritage of Qatar, in the region, and beyond.

Through its function as a research library with a unique heritage library, the Qatar National Library will promote a deeper global vision of the history and the culture of the Gulf region.

The library will support creativity and independence in decision-making among its pioneers and the development of their cultural knowledge, as well as its leading role in the library and cultural heritage sector in the country.

The building, designed by renowned Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas, is fully accessible to visitors with special needs. It features numerous custom-designed innovations, including an automatic book sorting system, several interactive media walls, and selfcheck-in and check-out machines that make borrowing books easier for members.