HH Sheikha Moza announces the launch of the Qatar National Library project

Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser has announced the launch of a project to build the new Qatar National Library (QNL) at a prestigious event held at the Student Centre of Hamad Bin Khalifa University, in the presence of the QNL project team and a number of distinguished international guests.

Designed by the world renowned architect Rem Koolhaas, the new QNL will officially open in late 2014 and should instantly become one of the most important and iconic landmarks in Qatar and the region. Its unique design will seek to help users feel relaxed, creating a perfect atmosphere for studying and learning.

The launch of QNL coincides with the 50th anniversary of Dar-al-Kutub, the Gulf Region’s first national library, which opened in Doha in 1962.

As a national resource, the library will preserve the rich archival heritage of Qatar and the cultural legacy of the Arab World accumulated over the past centuries. At the same time, the QNL will provide a bridge to the nation’s future as a knowledge economy, in line with Qatar National Vision 2030.

“In today’s age, libraries need to offer a full service, from collection to connection”
Speaking at the launch event, Her Highness said: "It is true that the growth of services such as the internet, facebook, twitter, wikis means that libraries no longer own a monopoly on access to knowledge. But libraries have understood this and are responding to this challenge. The proof of that is that the number of visitors to libraries across the world is on the increase".

“I recently visited the public library in Amsterdam and was struck by how vibrant and dynamic the place was. I was told that up to 5000 people visited the library every day and I can see why! From kids playing and running around on the lower ground floor, to a whole floor dedicated to music and film downloads, to quiet areas for research and noisy areas for food and discussion it was clear that all aspects and segments of Amsterdam society were present.”

“We are no longer talking about books. We are talking about content. If libraries are to remain attractive and relevant they must keep in touch. They must offer a high quality selection of relevant e-content – journals, e-books, music downloads, films, computer games. And they must offer all this 24 hours a day and seven days a week.”

“Dialogue has become key. Libraries need to be interactive. Libraries are being defined by how they interact with their users. The old perception of beginning, middle and end is changing. Young people approach content in a much more dynamic form. Instead of thinking about communication we now need to think about dialogue. We no longer have one way or even two way conversation. We now have network communication. Interactivity has become vital and libraries need to be interactive or they will be irrelevant. They can no longer base their existence on providing access to information. They now need to help the user to assimilate it and exploit it. In today’s age, libraries need to offer a full service, from collection to connection.”

“In the same way that we can be online everywhere, so should libraries. The library does not stop once the user has left the physical building. Whether on the web, in the home, at work, in kindergartens, schools and universities, the library exists where people actually are. A library should not count its success by the number of physical visitors or by the number of books borrowed. On the contrary, more and more people are using physical libraries without in fact borrowing anything. In future libraries may well halve their collections and double their visitors. The library space should be a medium for people, young and old, to meet. In other words for people the library should be the ‘third space’ after the home and work.”