40 Librarians Attend Qatar LibraryCamp
As part of its ongoing efforts to develop the information services sector, Qatar National Library (QNL) recently organised an event entitled, ‘Qatar LibraryCamp 2016’ in collaboration with UCL Qatar.
Bringing together practitioners within the industry to encourage the exchange of new ideas, knowledge and experiences, the Qatar LibraryCamp brought together 40 librarians from schools, universities and other institutions across Qatar.
Hosted at UCL Qatar, participants examined topics of relevance to Qatar’s growing knowledge-based economy. These included ways to promote a reading culture using QNL’s vast resources, introducing research skills to primary and secondary school students, and stimulating collaboration of knowledge between Arabic and English speaking librarians.
Engineer Saadi Al Said, Director of Administration and Planning at QNL, said: “The Qatar LibraryCamp provides an ideal platform for library practitioners to exchange ideas and network, allowing them to gain new insights that will prove beneficial to both the industry and the wider community. We are looking into organising similar events in the future to ensure librarians in Qatar are connected with one another and are made aware of the latest industry developments.”
QNL’s Music Information Services Librarian and an organiser of the Qatar LibraryCamp 2016, Mr Sebastian Wilke, emphasised the importance of the event: “This event gives librarians from various institutions the opportunity to exchange ideas and address certain challenges facing the industry. The format of the event is unique and allows participants to express themselves freely and discuss topics of interest with their peers.”
Participants expressed delight with the way the event was organised and called for more events in the future. AbdulRahman bin Jassim Preparatory School librarian, Mr Kamal Eldeen Hussain said: “I have been a librarian for 21 years and this is a great opportunity for me to expand my knowledge. I am specifically interested in library management and efficient research methods, and of course, my students benefit from the knowledge I gain at such events.”
QNL is set to host MetLib 2016 Qatar in April 2016 under the theme ‘Pearls in the Desert: Unleashing Potential’. This marks the first year the Metropolitan Libraries conference will be held in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. For more information about MetLib 2016 Qatar, visit: http://www.metlib2016qatar.org
A member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF), QNL supports QF’s mission to unlock human potential and build a progressive society. It aims to achieve this by spreading knowledge, nurturing imagination, cultivating creativity, and preserving the nation’s heritage for the future.
