facebooktwittertelegramwhatsapp
copy short urlprintemail
+ A
A -
webmaster
Tribune News Network
Doha
Libraries have always served as gateways to knowledge for local communities, offering essential lifelong learning opportunities to users within their physical premises.
As the recent digital transformation is changing how institutions share information with the public, libraries have evolved into hubs for global knowledge, while remaining firmly at the heart of the populations they serve.
Qatar National Library is at the forefront of this trend, making hundreds of English and Arabic resources available online to members at no cost. These databases cover a range of subject areas for all age groups and include downloadable e-books, academic papers, audio books, newspaper articles, comic books, magazines and streaming music and videos.
Library users in Qatar have responded positively to the Library’s innovative delivery of digital information services. There have been approximately one million downloads from the Library’s e-book platforms, and a noticeable increase in the usage of audio books.
The library also gives members free access to the latest issues of globally significant magazines, such as The New Yorker, Newsweek, the Economist, and Wired. Those conducting research have access to more than 60,000 scholarly journals and 300,000 e-books through the Library’s website.
“It is much easier to do research with the library giving us free access to a lot of resources. I can now comfortably choose from a variety of research topics for my courses at the university, because quality content on most subjects is available through the library. I encourage everyone to sign up as members and start using this wonderful resource,” said Osama Ali Dari, a regular visitor to the library.
Member parents looking for imaginative content for their children can use the RB digital Comics to flip through a variety of comic books ranging from the Hulk and Spiderman to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and more. Signing up to Over Drive lets users access hundreds of audio books, including popular fiction and non-fiction.
“We are striving to transform how libraries provide electronic resources by making it easier for everyone to get the best information in the least amount of time. The library’s online resources have something for everyone in the community. Whether you are a researcher, a student, a parent or a child, you only need to register with the library to get access to a world of knowledge,” said Milan Vasiljevic, manager of Electronic Resources Management and Licensing at the library.
The library is working with the local community to ensure its online resources are truly available to all. For example, people with print disabilities in Qatar now have access to more than 600,000 books in accessible digital formats through Bookshare, an online platform, which is the outcome of an agreement the library signed with MADA, Qatar’s Assistive Technology Center.
For those wishing to learn a new language, the library’s newest language-literacy application, Mango, can help users learn up to 70 languages, including three dialects of Arabic. Besides, users can get access to a variety of video content and educational programmes through the library’s databases.
To access the library’s online resources, individuals can visit: https://www.qnl.qa/en/explore/online-resources
copy short url   Copy
24/03/2019
782