Qatar National Library trains Omani students in librarianship
The Peninsula
Doha, Qatar: Qatar National Library (QNL) recently hosted students from Sultan Qaboos University in Oman for a comprehensive five day training program...
Doha, Qatar: Qatar National Library (QNL) recently hosted students from Sultan Qaboos University in Oman for a comprehensive five-day training programme titled ‘Emerging Librarians.’
QNL offers the programme as part of its continuous initiatives aimed at empowering information specialists across the region. This effort has intensified since last year when QNL was designated as the inaugural MENA Regional Office for the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), marking a historic first for the region.
The training programme featured introductory sessions to familiarise students with the Library’s various departments, including a tour of the Heritage Library, Digitization Center, Children’s Library, and the Preservation and Conservation Center where students were briefed on the conservation techniques and processes used to preserve heritage items and the Library’s role since 2015 as IFLA’s Regional Preservation and Conservation Center.
Eiman Saleh Alshamari, Head of Young Adults’ Library, and the Manager of the IFLA Regional Office for the Middle East and North Africa, said: “The training reflects the Library’s firm commitment to equip the next generation of librarians and information specialists in Qatar and the region with the necessary knowledge and skills to embark on their librarianship careers. As IFLA’s regional office we are actively contributing to wider efforts to preserve and disseminate the region’s cultural heritage for generations to come.”
Additionally, the program included field visits to cultural monuments and institutions across Qatar, such as the Museum of Islamic Art, Qatar University, and the Doha Institute Library. Students also toured the Amiri Diwan-affiliated National Archives of Qatar in Msheireb, an institution dedicated to the collection and preservation of documents and archives related to Qatar.
