Qatar National Library recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Mada – Qatar Assistive Technology Center - to make the Library’s digital presence more accessible and improve Library visitors’ digital experience.
The agreement was signed by Dr. Sohair Wastawy, Executive Director of the Library and Maha Al Mansouri, Chief Executive Officer of Mada, during the Qatar Information Technology Conference and Exhibition (QITCOM) 2019 on 30 October.
Dr. Wastawy said: “This agreement reflects our commitment to being an entirely open and accessible space, and supports our aspirations to provide equal access to our resources, print and digital to all our patrons. The Library has also tapped into new technological advances to extend a range of services and activities to people with disabilities.
“We look forward to working with Mada and use their expertise to break any barriers to access information for patrons with disabilities. This agreement is yet another tangible step in creating a library that is a supportive environment for learning and development for the entire community,” added Dr. Wastawy.
As part of the agreement, Mada and the Library will collaborate in several areas, including accessibility services, capacity building, specialized training and advisory services for staff in e-accessibility, and providing ICT solutions for the Library’s website for hearing impaired users.
This agreement will also pave the way for both institutions to work towards providing best practices to the field of accessible libraries.
To further support people with disabilities, the Library has recently signed an agreement with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and is now member of the cross-border exchange of the Accessible Books Consortium Global Book Service.
The Library also offers access to large-print books, audiobooks and books in braille for visually impaired readers, while a dedicated assistive technology space helps people with disabilities access information and library materials, including ebooks, audiobooks, music and videos.
