Qatar National Library’s Open Access (OA) Program supports scholarly publishing by offering an article processing charge fund to cover publishing costs for open access journals. Since its launch in 2016, the program has received more than 10,000 funding requests, reflecting high demand from Qatar-based researchers. Despite successfully supporting 5,869 articles, challenges remain, with funding requests often surpassing available resources. In 2025, QNL conducted a survey to assess the program's effectiveness and explore areas for improvement. This poster presents the survey findings and discusses potential improvements to the program, including changes to funding criteria and communication processes.
Presenters
Lama Abu Hasanain, Senior administrator, Digital Collections Department, Qatar National Library
Lama Abu Hasanain is a Senior Administrator with nearly six years’ experience in Qatar National Library’s Digital Collection Department, specializing in the Open Access Fund service. Lama plays a key role in providing the only open access service of its kind in both Qatar and Middle East. This unique service ensures broader access to scholarly works by managing the fund for article processing charges, which covers publishing costs for researchers seeking to publish their articles with open access. Lama also works on marketing strategies and plans events to promote the open access service, drawing on her media background and her bachelor’s degree in mass communication from Qatar University.
Amna Abdulgafour Harami, Senior Administrator, Digital Collections Department, Qatar National Library
Amna Abdulgafour Harami holds a degree in finance with a minor in marketing from Qatar University. With experience in administration, financial research and education, she has worked with institutions such as the General Tax Authority, and Qatar Development Bank. In her current role, Amna helps authors, researchers and PhD students secure funding to publish their articles as open access, contributing to the growth of Qatar's research and knowledge-sharing landscape. She guides applicants through the process of applying for funding through Qatar National Library’s agreement with publishers, providing detailed instructions on how to apply, answering queries and ensuring a smooth application process. Her work is dedicated to making open access publishing accessible to researchers, ensuring their work reaches a wider audience. Additionally, her involvement in open access initiatives underscores her commitment to enhancing research accessibility through funding models for article processing charges, which support researchers in publishing their work in open access journals.
Dr. Alwaleed K. Alkhaja, Head of Open Access and Copyright at Qatar National Library
Dr. Alwaleed Alkhaja is the Head of Open Access and Copyright at Qatar National Library and is leading the Library’s open access program team. Before joining the Library, Dr. Alwaleed worked in open access publishing with QScience.com/HBKU Press. He holds a Ph.D. in molecular biology from the Göttingen/International Max Planck Research School and an MBA from the Alliance Manchester Business School.