The Vision of Kholoud Kholoud Abu SharidaFighting darkness with an inclusive vision: Stories of Education City’s blind students It was spring semester when I first met Kholoud Abu Sharida at the Translation and Interpretation Institute library, a young pretty Qatari lady with visual impairment. She was working on her master’s degree thesis at that time when she approached me to assist and guide her for references and online resources needs. We … Continue reading #QATARILITMONTH: Inclusion and Empowerment
#QATARILITMONTH: Diversity in the Eyes of a Public Librarian at Qatar National Library
Visitors at Qatar National Library How diverse can diversity mean? It looks different to different people and organizations. Attitude towards it are different to different people. Organizations adjust, approach, and sustain it differently. Here are some statements that I find resemble how I see it as a public librarian who discerns the library profession is tailor-made to see diversity as an asset, opportunity, and a natural part of the institution. “To put it simply, diversity can be … Continue reading #QATARILITMONTH: Diversity in the Eyes of a Public Librarian at Qatar National Library
#QATARILITMONTH: Qatar National Library’s Young Adult Library
Young Adult Programming and Services at the Library during COVID-19 Chess Competition at Qatar National Library. Source. In the unprecedented coronavirus health crisis, many libraries around the world opted to adopt a wide range of virtual services to address the needs of young people. Some invested in their databases and resources, while others have offered … Continue reading #QATARILITMONTH: Qatar National Library’s Young Adult Library
#WorldKidLit Wednesday: The End
What if the world actually ended with a bang and not with a whimper? (Pace, T.S. Eliot.) And what if you knew the end was coming? How would you spend your final days? That’s the premise in The End, an award-winning upper YA novel by Swedish author Mats Strandberg. When the story begins, scientists have … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: The End
#QATARILITMONTH: Contemporary Qatari Literature: Fiction from an Urban Desert
You can learn a lot about a nation’s history, culture and aspirations by reading its literature. A number of Qatari authors have made their work available in the English language, making it easy for a global audience to read the country’s historical fiction, magical fantasy and folk tales. Qatari author Abdulaziz Al-Mahmoud’s writing depicts the … Continue reading #QATARILITMONTH: Contemporary Qatari Literature: Fiction from an Urban Desert
#QATARILITMONTH: Children’s Literature
The Children's Library At Qatar National Library: Promoting Qatari Children's Literature Qatar National Library is a cultural and educational institution that offers the community diverse programming in all fields as a way to serve Qatari society. The role of the Children's Library is important, as it provides young learners with an inspiring atmosphere that enables … Continue reading #QATARILITMONTH: Children’s Literature
#QATARILITMONTH: The Heritage Library at Qatar National Library
Treasures of the Arabic and Islamic Worlds at Qatar National Library The Heritage Library’s location at the heart of Qatar National Library reflects its important role as the guardian of the nation’s history and heritage. The extensive collection of heritage and historical materials traces scientific, artistic, social and economic development throughout the Arab and Islamic worlds. It also highlights the … Continue reading #QATARILITMONTH: The Heritage Library at Qatar National Library
The Booktrekker: Kuwait
READ My book selection for Kuwait was Motorbikes and Camels, by Nejoud Al-Yagout. This is the author’s debut novel, and I thought the format was particularly interesting. The book consists of stories about thirteen different people, all of whose lives are intertwined with the lives of one or more other people in the book. While the plot … Continue reading The Booktrekker: Kuwait
The Booktrekker: Japan
READ One thing I’m enjoying about this reading-the-world project is that it’s nudging me to read international authors I’ve always heard about, but have never read. In the case of Japan, I finally read a book by bestselling author Haruki Murakami – Norwegian Wood, translated by Jay Rubin. As the novel opens, 37-year-old Toru Watanabe is … Continue reading The Booktrekker: Japan
The Booktrekker: Iran
READ There were so many books by Iranian authors I could have read for this blog post that I had a hard time choosing just one. I finally decided to do something completely different and read a graphic novel, written in comic book form. The Complete Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi, is a largely autobiographical tale of … Continue reading The Booktrekker: Iran
Global Literature in Libraries Initiative 