Qatar National Library (QNL), has welcomed the recent decision by the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers to give its approval for accession to the Marrakesh Treaty. The treaty allows for copyright exceptions to enable the creation of books and other copyrighted works for visually-impaired and print-disabled persons.
The Marrakesh Treaty, which was adopted in 2013 and forms part of the body of international copyright treaties administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization, has been adopted by 35 countries.
“QNL firmly believes that information should be available to everyone as a human right, and we strive to make all of our books and other resources accessible to all. To that end, we are pleased that the Council of Ministers has given its support of the Marrakesh Treaty, which will enable Qatar to work with the international community to realize this goal,” said Dr. Sohair Wastawy, Executive Director, QNL.
Today, QNL launched its Book Club for the Blind, a project that provides social opportunities and promotes equal access to the resources and services of the library. The project aims to share common reading interests, and allows participants to experience the natural connection between reading and communication in unique ways.
QNL’s main collection includes materials produced for those with special needs, such as large print books. In collaboration with the MADA Assistive Technology Centre, the library also provides equipment and software, such as scanning pens with headphones and portable video magnifiers, to help visually impaired users.
