Qatar National Library (QNL) continues to increasingly promote unrestricted online access to research across the region, offering a broad variety of services to support the global dissemination of Qatar-based research.
The Library is a leader in open access research in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, operating its Open Access Program, which includes an article processing charge (APC) fund to cover charges in open access journals. Since 2018, Qatar National Library has funded more than 5,000 articles and 2019 authors from 45 unique institutions in Qatar.
Manara – Qatar Research Repository, publicly launched last year to ensure long-term access to Qatar-based research, is part of the Open Access Program. Manara supports both Arabic and English traditional research outputs – such as articles, conference proceedings, and monographs – as well as non-traditional outputs in the form of datasets and software, multimedia materials, posters, and presentations. Currently, Manara contains almost 5,000 research items that have been viewed or downloaded more than 300,000 times.
In line with these efforts, Qatar National Library has partnered with the Knowledge E Foundation, an organization committed to advancing accessible education across the globe, to jointly host the third annual Forum for Open Research in MENA in Doha. The three-day forum, which starts on 21 October at Qatar National Library, brings together policymakers, researchers, and librarians to support the advancement of open science across the Arab world. This year’s theme is Transforming Knowledge into Action, and librarians, researchers, and policymakers working in the area of open science are encouraged to submit a presentation proposal in either English or Arabic. The deadline for proposals is 1 June 2024.
Launched by the Knowledge E Foundation in 2022 as an independent non-profit initiative, the Forum for Open Research in MENA (FORM) aims to support the region’s research communities and stakeholder groups in their journey towards a more ‘open’ world. The purpose of the annual forum is to facilitate the exchange of ideas and the development of practical policies to streamline the global transition towards more accessible, sustainable, and inclusive research and education models.
Dr. Alwaleed Alkhaja, Head of Open Access and Copyright at QNL, said: “The Library’s ongoing efforts to champion open access initiatives are foundational to its mission. These efforts set the stage for the Library's partnership with the Knowledge E Foundation, which reflects its commitment to supporting open-access publishing and ensuring opportunities for scholars across Qatar to publish in open-access journals. We look forward to exploring opportunities with regional players to promote equitable open access to research and support open science infrastructures across the region, including a higher adoption of open repositories."
Dr. Emily Choynowski, Co-Founder and Director of Operations for FORM, said: “We are honored to partner with Qatar National Library for this year’s annual forum. The Library is a beacon for open access in the region, for collaborative best practices and the perfect partner to support us in our mission to ensure equitable, accessible education for everyone in the Arab region and to support the growth of a truly regional collaborative community of open science advocates.”
