Written by Athina Pfeiffer and Mathias Ghyoot (2024)

INtroduction

Qatar National Library is the largest library in Qatar. The library currently has more than one million books in its collections, along with more than 500,000 ebooks, periodicals and newspapers, and special collections.

The heart of Qatar National Library, the Heritage Library, includes a manuscript collection of about 3,500 Oriental manuscripts and about 500 calligraphic panels. The section also contains a large collection of Qur’anic manuscripts written in China and East Asia. The Heritage Library also contains a collection of 80.000 photographs, around 20,000 items of legal documents, government and individual correspondence, rare cinema documents and posters, early Arabic printed materials (books, journals, magazines and newspapers), and a significant map section containing hundreds of maps, mostly historical ones dating from the end of the 15th century up to the early 20th century.

The library is open to the public Saturday through Thursday from 8am to 8pm, and Friday from 4pm to 8pm.

Location: Google Maps

GOING THERE

The library is located about 20-25 min. from downtown Doha. You can grab a taxi or take the metro to the National Library Station.

GETTING IN

You’ll need a research library card to enter the facilities and access material. If you wish to access manuscripts, you’ll need to specify this when you make your library card. The staff will then direct you to the Heritage Library (in the same building) to pick up the relevant form. Remember to bring ID.

Finding your material

You can use your own laptop to access the online catalog of the library - there is free WIFI, just ask any employee for the password.

Ordering your material

Once you have ordered your material, you can look at it in the Main Reading Room of the Heritage Library. You may not remove the material from the Main Reading Room.

Ordering scans

Large portions of the collections have already been digitized or are in the process of being digitized. Take a look online before ordering scans. If your material hasn’t been digitized, approach the staff who will inform you about how to request scans.

Food and well-being

For coffee and snacks, head to the Safahat cafe inside the library. Alternatively, head to Green and Go outside the library located on Dukhan Road.